Moscow airport bombing - January 2011

On 24 January, a suspected suicide bomber detonated explosives at Domodedovo International Airport in Russia's capital, Moscow. The blast took place at the international arrivals hall of the airport, the country's busiest, killing at least 35 people and injuring as many as 180 others. Numerous foreigners were among those killed and wounded. Considering the explosives used in the attack and the busy location, it appears that the attackers were seeking to cause a maximum number of casualties and media exposure.

Although no claims of responsibility have been made, initial suspicions have fallen on separatist militants from the volatile North Caucasus region. Russia suffers from a high threat of terrorism, mostly stemming from separatist and Islamist extremist groups in the republics of Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan in the North Caucasus. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia has resisted secession attempts by these republics, a campaign fuelled by an Islamist insurgency in the region. Ongoing tensions in the region led to open conflict in Chechnya in the 1990s, prompting a shift to asymmetrical and guerrilla warfare. Terrorist activities have since become a mainstay of the separatist campaign and militants started to export terrorism beyond the region in 1999, mostly to Moscow. A deadly assault of the Dubrovka theatre in Moscow in October 2002 precipitated a series of similar attacks in the capital, peaking in 2004 with a series of strikes, including two separate suicide attacks on Moscow's Metro and the near simultaneous suicide bombings of two domestic flights departing from Domodedovo. More recently, on 29 March 2010, two explosions at Metro stations in Moscow during the early morning rush hour left 40 people dead and many more injured.

Although most of Russia's terrorist activity is concentrated in the North Caucasus, militants regularly threaten to conduct attacks outside the region. As the ongoing conflict in the North Caucasus is unlikely to be resolved in the short- to medium-term and security operations continue in the region, further terrorist attacks are likely. It is also possible that follow-up attacks to the 24 January incident have been planned. Heightened security should be expected across Moscow, particularly at potential targets, which could include airports, government buildings, high-profile hotels, markets, entertainment venues, residential complexes and public transport infrastructure.

Travellers in Moscow are advised to exercise caution and heightened vigilance at this time, and to contact red24 if they require further assistance. The incident is also likely to lead to significant disruptions to air travel in Moscow as flights to and from Domodedovo may be diverted to Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo airports in the interim. Travellers are advised to contact their airline or travel provider prior to departure to check the status of their flight(s). Local authorities have also stepped up security at airports and transport hubs throughout Russia, and travellers are advised to anticipate delays due to increased security measures in the short-term; travellers should always carry their identification documents or certified copies thereof on their person as spot checks by authorities are possible. In addition, travellers are also warned that in the past, incidents of racially motivated or xenophobic violence aimed at individuals of the same ethnic or national background as the perpetrators of terrorist acts have increased markedly following terrorist attacks.