Russia to mourn Wednesday for airport blast victims

Moscow, Jan 25 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Authorities in Moscow have declared a day of mourning Wednesday for the victims of a deadly terrorist attack in the capital’s Domodedovo airport, a spokesperson announced.

At least 35 people were killed and 180 others were injured in the suicide attack at the airport’s arrivals gate Monday.

Over 100 people have been hospitalised. No group has claimed responsibility for the blast.

Flags will fly at half mast in Moscow and nearby regions. Entertainment programmes will be dropped from television and radio schedules and concerts will be postponed.

“In memory of the January 24 terrorist attack victims at Domodedovo airport, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced a day of mourning in Moscow on January 26,” the spokesperson said.

So far, bodies of 16 victims have been identified.

President Dmitry Medvedev has pledged assistance to the families of the dead and those injured in the attack.

Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin Tuesday visited the hospitals where the victims were receiving care.

Medvedev visited the Skifilovsky Hospital where 11 victims have been admitted, while Putin visited the Vishnevsky Surgery Institute where he wished the victims a swift recovery.

Some 30 victims of the attack were operated on overnight, Moscow healthcare chief Leonid Pechatnikov said.

In the wake of the attack, the president instructed the government to implement thorough checks of passengers at major transportation facilities.

“It is necessary to do everything possible to reveal, unmask and bring to justice those responsible for this crime. The nests of these terrorists… must be destroyed,” he said.

Medvedev Tuesday demanded the interior ministry and the Federal Security Service (FSB) officials responsible for security at the airport be punished.

He said he has instructed the FSB to determine who was responsible for security at the airport within the service itself and ordered the interior ministry to introduce proposals on how to prosecute those who failed to ensure proper security.

A spokesman for Russia’s national anti-terrorism committee (NAC) said earlier Tuesday that insufficient security measures in Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport were to blame for Monday’s deadly blast.

“Security measures in the Domodedovo airport were insufficient, otherwise the terrorist attack would have never taken place,” Nikolai Sintsov told the Rossiya 24 TV channel.

–IANS/RIA Novosti