Moscow Bombing Kills 39

Powerful blasts shook the city of Moscow on Monday leaving 39 people dead in its wake. Occurring within 45 minutes of each other, the two blasts hit the morning commuters during rush hour in downtown stations. The initial investigation has revealed that female suicide bombers had blown themselves up using belts of explosives.

The first explosion occurred beneath the FSB which is the successor to the infamous KGB. The second explosion occurred 45 minutes later near Gorky Park at the Park Kultury station, incidentally on the same line. Both bombers detonated the explosives as the doors opened after the trains pulled into the station. By late evening the carnage was cleared up and in its place flowers and plaques were placed remembering the dead. But the shrapnel marks are a grim reminder of the grotesque act of violence that occurred earlier.

The blast is attributed to the Islamist rebels retaliating against Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s tough measures against them. In the last few weeks, several of the rebel leaders have been reported as killed by the Russian security forces. The death of each leader was heralded a victory for the Prime Minister’s iron-fisted approach. However, the rebels have so far not claimed any responsibility for the first attacks to occur in Moscow city in over six years. The FSB has, however, pointed the finger at the rebels based on the preliminary evidence. Prime Minister Putin has promised to “track down and kill” the perpetrators of this “disgusting” crime. Out of the 76 people admitted to hospitals, five remain in critical condition.