4 Deadliest Terrors in Russia

MOSCOW – The shooting at a Moscow concert hall on March 23 has become the deadliest terrorist attack in Russia in two decades. In the past 25 years, Russia has witnessed several terrorist attacks, reportedly in Chechnya and other regions in the North Caucasus. Some of these are religiously motivated; some were carried out by separatist groups with political demands.

The fight against terror has allowed the Kremlin to consolidate power and limit political and public freedoms.

4 Deadliest Terrors in Russia

1. Apartment Bombing (1999)

Photo/Reuters

According to news, in September 1999, four explosions hit an apartment block in Moscow; Buynaksk, in the Republic of Dagestan; and Volgodonsk, in southern Russia. The explosion killed more than 300 people, left 1,700 injured, and spread fear among millions across the country.

The Kremlin blamed Chechen militias for the attack. Although some consider it a conspiracy theory, some Russian journalists and analysts believe that the explosion may have been orchestrated by Russia’s own intelligence services.

The bombing of apartment blocks was one of the factors that justified sending troops to Chechnya for the Second Chechen War. This response gave Vladimir Putin, who was prime minister at the time, a boost in popularity ahead of his first presidential election.

2. Moscow Theater Hostage Crisis (2002)

Photo/Reuters

In October 2002, armed Chechen militants seized the crowded Dubrovka Theater in downtown Moscow during a performance of the popular musical “Nord-Ost.” More than 900 spectators and players were taken hostage. The attackers demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya.

After three days of negotiations, Russian special forces stormed the building, having released gas into the auditorium. All 40 hostage takers were killed. About 130 hostages were killed, and several hundred were injured, mostly due to the effects of the gas and delays in medical assistance. The chemical formula of the gas is kept secret.

The attack resulted in a crackdown on Chechen separatists. Putin promised to respond with actions “in keeping with the threat, by striking all places where terrorists might be present.” Following the attack, the Russian Duma also passed an anti-terrorism law, including restrictions on the media. In the years after the attack, human rights groups reported that Chechens in Moscow were subjected to police harassment.

3. Beslan School Siege (2004)

Photo/Reuters

On September 1, 2004, the first day of the new school year in Russia, armed terrorists occupied a school in the city of Beslan, in North Ossetia. They took more than 1,100 people hostage, including 777 children. The hostage takers were Chechen rebels under the command of Shamil Basayev, who demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya and recognition of the region’s independence.