Terrorism

Moscow

Went along to the Sky News bureau earlier, just missing most of the team as they went to the airport to try to get a flight to Vladikavkaz to cover the ongoing hostage crisis. Passenger flights from Moscow and St Petersburg down there have been stopped but the news media managed to club together to get on a plane.

Since I arrived in Russia ten days ago there have been four terrorist attacks. Two planes were blown up last week then there was the bombing outside an underground station here a couple of days ago. I wouldn't say it's had much impact on the ordinary life of the country though. There are young-looking soldiers stationed in pairs in and around the metro and the Kremlin's shut to everyone but pre-booked tour groups, but that seems to be about it. The mentality of the local people appears to be to shrug slightly and get on with everyday life, even though there are widespread local reports (of admittedly questionable reliability) predicting more attacks by Chechens. There's not much visible mourning or grief as you'd expect in the west either, just flags at half-mast for one day last week after the planes went down. I suppose people are more used to terrorist attacks here than in all western countries - even Britain - but the apparently relaxed attitude of everyone is still a bit of a surprise to me.