A student opened fire on a university campus in central Russia on Monday killing at least eight people and wounding 28 others, investigators said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences to the families and friends of the victims following the incident, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Russia's Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said several people were injured in the attack at Perm State University and that the suspect had been wounded while being detained. 

No Chinese nationals were injured in the incident, the Chinese consulate-general in the Russian city of Kazan told reporters.

Harrowing footage on social media showed students jumping out of second-floor windows to escape the gunman.