Mosco: Russian Prime Minister Vladimir
Putin on Wednesday ruled out any links between the Caucasus region of
Chechnya and this week`s deadly suicide bombing at Domodedovo
Airport that killed 35 people and wounded over 180 others.
"The preliminary investigation shows that it is not
linked to Chechen Republic," Putin said in his televised
remarks.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the
attack, which comes less than 12 months after two female
suicide bombers from the volatile North Caucasus struck the
Moscow metro, killing dozens.
Earlier, the blast was suspected to be the handiwork
of separatists from Chechnya or elsewhere in the restive
Caucasus region who have been battling Russian authority for
over 15 years.
Talking to media after talks with the visiting Belgian
Prime Minister, Putin ruled out any talks with the
"terrorists" saying they (talks) encourage them and lead to
more terror attacks and more killings of innocent people.
"It is necessary to fight mercilessly with terrorismand extremism. All civilized societies unite against such
threats and slam bandits and extremists. I am sure the same
will be in Russia," he said.
Putin said attempts to hold peace talks with (Chechen)
terrorists in early 90s led to the first and the second
Chechen Wars.
However, he said the Russian government had never
dismissed talks with the political figures, who strive for
settlement.
Meanwhile, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev sacked
the chief of the country`s transport police and warned of more
dismissals if the officers did not perform their duties
properly.
"I have signed a decree relieving (Maj Gen Andrei)
Alekseyev of his duties as head of the Interior Ministry
transport security directorate," Medvedev said.
Major-General Alexeyev was responsible for transport
security in Central Russian Regions around Moscow.
At the meeting before leaving for Davos World Economic
Forum for few hours, Medvedev ordered Interior Minister Rashid
Nurgaliyev to "shake up" the entire transport police to ensure
daily transport security, Ria Novosti reported.
Nurgaliyev said that Domodedovo Airport`s police chief
and his two deputies have been sacked and more are to be
sacked.
"If people don`t understand how to work, we`ll find
other people," Medvedev said in his televised remarks.
PTI
