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Moscow - Inmates in a Moscow pre-trial detention centre on Monday seized as many as 15 hostages, including a chief warden and his deputy, and Interfax news agency reported a blast and automatic gunfire at the prison.
"They are talking about from two to fifteen hostages," Alexander Sidorov, a spokesperson for Russia's prison administration, said.
"Officials are now negotiating with hostage-takers and the administration has control of the situation in the detention centre."
Interfax gave no further details about the gunfire and explosion.
Sidorov said three inmates at the prison in southeastern Moscow who had taken the prison officials hostage were demanding a review of their trials. He said they had committed serious crimes including murder.
The incident started when three inmates taking their afternoon walk attacked prison officials. They then barricaded themselves in one of the rooms in the prison.
Interfax earlier quoted sources in Russian law-enforcement agencies as saying that five people had been injured and five hostages taken.
Ekho Moskvy radio station cited police sources as saying that several people had been injured in the incident. The prison has been sealed off by riot police, the radio station said.
Rossiya television showed police and emergency services surrounding the prison.
Hostage-taking is not unusual in Russian prisons, many of which are badly managed and maintained.
(Additional reporting by Guy Faulconbridge)
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