Commandos stormed a school today in southern Russia and battled separatist rebels holding hundreds of hostages as crying children, some naked and covered in blood, fled the building through explosions and gunfire.

Russia’s school siege ended in a chaotic bloodbath today with more than 150 hostages and some of their captors killed when special forces stormed the building in an unplanned onslaught.

A hostage released from a provincial Russian school said there are at least 1,500 people being held there by armed militants, the Izvestia newspaper reported today, and a local legislator announced a similar figure challenging far-lower official numbers.

RUSSIAN president Vladimir Putin, vowed he would do all he could to save hundreds of children, parents and teachers held hostage in a school gym by armed militants.

At least 31 women and child hostages were released from the southern Russian siege school this afternoon, not long after suicide assailants had fired rocket propelled grenades at cars.

Children and female hostages were released from the southern Russian siege school this afternoon, not long after suicide assailants had fired rocket-propelled grenades at cars.