According to recent reports, the explosion killed more than 30 people and injured about 150 more. A police hotline is open. More than 70 victims are in hospital, 40 of them in serious condition. About a slightly injured hundred victims received outpatient treatment, according to the information department of the Ministry for Emergency Situations. Hospitals in Moscow and its environs received the casualties. “We sent 56 ambulances to the airport”, said Sofia Malyavina, the Deputy Health Minister. She also informed us that specialists from the Research Institute of Psychiatry went to the scene to work with victims on the spot. Foreign nationals are amongst the victims of the attack. Tatiana Golikova, the Minister of Health and Social Development, on behalf of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, will inspect Moscow hospitals to see how they carry out aiding the victims.
The explosion occurred in the international departures hall at 16.32 MSK (13.32 UTC 08.32 EST 05.32 PST). According to preliminary reports, a suicide bomber hiding in a crowd waiting to greet arriving travellers caused the explosion, according to Vladimir Markin, a spokesman for the RF SKP. According to various estimates from police sources, the bomb had the power of 5 to 10 kilogrammes (11 to 22 pounds) of TNT. The cops are seeking three men in connection with the attack and the RF SKP opened a criminal case under the statute of the RF Criminal Code covering “Terrorist Acts”. Responsibility for the investigation is in the hands of the Central Investigation Department of the RF SKP. At the explosion site, police discovered the remains of a suspected terrorist. A group of investigators from the main department of the SKP and experienced forensic technicians are providing practical assistance at the scene, Mr Markin told us. Also working at the airport are detectives from the local Domodedovo office and from the Head Investigation Department in Moscow.
Meanwhile, according to a law enforcement source, the special services received a warning that there might be a terrorist attack at a Moscow airport. “Intelligence came in concerning a possible terrorist attack at one of the Moscow airports. Police were looking for three suspects, but they managed to slip past them to get to the airport, monitor the explosion made by their accomplice, and make their escape from the airport”, our source said. At present, the working hypothesis is that the suicide bomber came by auto and parked in the long-term car park, which is located on the left side of the terminal. Then, the terrorist walked undetected through the ground floor to the stairs, climbed to the first floor, where there are no guards and metal detectors, which is where they set off the bomb, our source added.
At first, the explosion didn’t draw much attention. Eyewitnesses to the incident talked to an Interfax correspondent. “There was a bang… at first, no one knew what was going on. Then, the blast hit me, smoke filled the room, and you could see the injured”, one of the witnesses said. Among the witnesses was Valery Lavrov {apparently no relation of the foreign minister, who only has a daughter, Yekaterina: editor}, a director of musical concerts. “I flew from Rome, via Vienna, to Moscow on Flight 8106, it landed at 15.30. At passport control, there were many passengers… 500-600 people… there weren’t enough guards at the booths. I waited for 40 minutes; because of this, I missed my flight to Dushanbe. The line moved very slowly. Since I didn’t have luggage, I went through the green corridor. Once I passed through the green corridor, there was a loud bang. It sounded like an exploding propane cylinder or a lot of firecrackers. There was smoke, and panicked people blocked the entrances and exits”, he told a RIA-Novosti reporter.
******
******
Immediately after the explosion, taxi drivers raised the prices for a ride… to go to the city, they demanded 10-20 thousand roubles (335-670 USD 245-490 Euros 205-420 UK Pounds). However, the price of a taxi a kilometre from the airport was only 1,500 roubles (50 USD 37 Euros 31 UK Pounds). Volunteers with cars went to the airport to take home passengers caught up in the airport attack free of charge… many websites had posts with offers of assistance and contact phone numbers. “It’s horrible to have to pay over 20,000 roubles just to get home. Anybody who preys on the grief of others is shameless”, one of the volunteers said. Travellers could get free passage on Aeroexpress trains, and there were free bus rides to and from the Moscow city centre. Moscow municipal authorities reserved 200 hotel rooms for the relatives of those killed and injured in the attack.
In response to the Domodedovo blast, on Tuesday, President Dmitri Medvedev postponed his scheduled flight to Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum, and called an emergency government meeting. The President instructed the Health Ministry and the Emergencies Ministry to provide all necessary assistance to the victims and ordered the creation of an investigative team. “Everything possible must be done so that the victims receive immediate medical care”, Dmitri Anatolyevich said at the emergency meeting. He also issued instructions to introduce stricter security at Moscow’s airports and rail terminals because of the Domodedovo attack.
In response, Moscow airports enhanced their security procedures. “We’re checking every passenger arriving at the airport and all those who’re coming to meet passengers as well. We’re inspecting all luggage and carry-ons”, said Yelena Krylova, a spokesman for Vnukovo Airport. She told us that they’re tightening admission to the forecourt airport complex, and imposing more control over construction projects located near the airport. It’s already SOP for Moscow cops to inspect Metro stations and other places of mass gatherings to prevent possible terrorist attacks. Vnukovo and Sheremetyevo Airports shall attend to some flights diverted from Domodedovo. However, there won’t be major changes in the routine of Domodedovo, as aircraft continue to take off and land at the airport.
For the relatives of those killed and injured in the explosion, there’s a special hotline at the Serbsky Centre for Social and Forensic Psychiatry. Domodedovo Airport also opened a telephone hotline for relatives and friends of passengers who could be in the terminal building. In addition, bereaved families will receive 2 million roubles (67,000 USD 49,000 Euros 42,000 UK Pounds) from the Moscow municipal government, in an announcement made by Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin instructed Health Minister Tatiana Golikova to assist the families of those killed in the attack at Domodedovo by preparing for them the proper documentation.
24 January 2011
Voice of Russia World Service
Voices from Russia 
You must be logged in to post a comment.