Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a telegram to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday expressing his condolences on Monday’s terrorist attack in St. Petersburg, China Central Television reported.

"A powerful explosion has occurred in the St. Petersburg subway leaving many people dead and injured. I am shocked by this tragedy. The Chinese side strongly condemns this major terrorist attack," he noted. "On behalf of the Chinese government and people and on behalf of myself, I express deep sorrow and sincere condolences to those injured, relatives and friends of those killed."

According to Xi Jinping, at this difficult moment China declares its solidarity with Russia speaking out against terrorism in any of its manifestations and seeking cooperation with Russia in the fight against international extremism.

An unidentified device went off at about 14:40 Moscow Time on Monday in a subway train car when the train was moving from Tekhnologichesky Institut Station to Sennaya Ploshchad Station. The Russian Investigative Committee has qualified the blast as a terrorist attack, but other versions are looked into as well.

According to the latest data provided by the National Anti-Terrorism Committee, the blast claimed 11 lives, while 45 others were injured.