A suicide bomber killed up to 31 people at Moscow’s busiest airport on Monday afternoon, officials said, prompting a major security alert in the Russian capital.
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. “The victims are being treated at the scene or are being transported to hospitals in the city,” an airport spokesperson said.
Authorities said the blast was caused by at least one suicide bomber who may have been a North Caucasus native, according to the Interfax news agency. It was not immediately known which group may have been behind the attack.
Russia’s Ministry of Health said the blast at the airport killed at least 31 people, while more than 130 others were injured, including 20 who were said to be in a critical conditions. The airport spokesperson, however, put the death toll at at least 24.
As a result of the explosion, Moscow police went on a high security alert and were checking the Moscow subway and other Moscow airports to prevent any other attacks. Flights were resuming as normal at Domodedovo Airport, although some were delayed.
On March 29, 2010, at least 40 people were killed and 102 others were injured when two women blew themselves up at two Moscow Metro stations. It was the deadliest terrorist attack in Moscow in years.
