The blast that killed 35 people at Moscow’s busiest airport on Monday afternoon was a “well-planned terrorist attack”, according to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday morning, who said airport management should be held accountable for lapses in security.
The blast at Domodedovo International Airport happened in the international arrivals hall at 4.32 p.m. local time in a general area where persons who are not passengers have free access. A total of 35 people were killed while 202 others were injured.
“Considering the location and other indirect indications, this was a well-planned terrorist attack aimed at killing as many people as possible,” Medvedev told reporters on Tuesday. “All instructions have been issued, we have an algorithm for this kind of emergency effort in our country because we know firsthand what terrorism is. We have introduced special security measures at virtually all transport hubs. Everyone has been affected by these measures because security demands very careful inspection of luggage, but it is a forced measure, and sometimes it is crucial, simply vitally important.”
The Russian President said that legislation concerning security and airports has changed since two bomb blasts brought down two passengers planes in Russia on August 24, 2004, killing 89 people. Both planes had flown out of Domodedovo International Airport.
“It became much tougher [to commit a terrorist attack on planes or airports], but unfortunately – and that is our biggest problem – we do not always enforce even the most important legislation,” Medvedev said, adding that he instructed Prosecutor General Yury Chaika to investigate the enforcement of these laws at Domodedovo Airport.
However, Medvedev reiterated that the airport’s management should be held accountable for the lapses in security. “The airport is good, everyone recognizes that, it is new and modern. But what has happened shows that there were clearly breaches in security, and everyone who makes decisions here, including the airport management, will answer for this,” he said.
The Russian leader added: “This is an act of terror. This is grief. This is a tragedy. I hope that law enforcement agencies will be able to quickly reconstruct the course of events and conduct an investigation.”
Monday’s terrorist attack, which was carried out by at least one and perhaps two suicide bombers, was the deadliest attack since March 29 last year when 40 people were killed when two women blew themselves up at two Moscow Metro stations. More than 100 others were injured.
