Domodedovo International Airport bombing
Encyclopedia
The 2011 Domodedovo Airport bombing was a suicide attack
in the international arrival hall of Moscow's busiest airport, Domodedovo Airport, on January 24, 2011.
The bombing killed at least 37 people and injured some 173, including 115 who had to be hospitalised. Of the casualties, 31 died at the scene, one on the route to hospital, three later in hospital on the same day, one died on February 2, 2011 after having been in a coma and another died on February 24, 2011. Russia's Investigative Committee
later identified the suicide bomber as a 20-year-old male, native of Ingushetia
, trained by the Islamist militants from the North Caucasus region.
The city of Moscow had seen a number of significant terrorist incidents in the years prior to the 2011 bombing at Domodedovo. In March 2010, at least 40 people were killed in suicide bombings on the Moscow Metro
; in 2006, 13 people were killed in a market bombing
; and 2004 saw two separate major attacks on the Moscow Metro, one by a male suicide bomber on 6 February
and another by a female suicide bomber on 31 August
.
. Evloev had arrived to Moscow from Nazran
on a bus few days earlier. While in Moscow, he was assisted by Islam Yandiev and Ilez Yandiev, who drove Evloev to the airport and watched him carry out the bombing in the terminal. Evloev managed to carry an explosive device under his coat unnoticed while passing a security checkpoint at the terminal entrance. He proceeded through the international arrival hall to the luggage claim area where the explosive device mounted on Evloev was detonated. Investigation indicated that the explosive device
was packed with shrapnel, pieces of chopped wire and had 2 to 5 kg of TNT equivalent
One of the casualties was 29-year-old Ukrainian playwright Anna Yablonskaya
, an author of over a dozen playscripts. She arrived to Domodedovo from her native city of Odessa
to attend an award ceremony in Moscow for young playwrights hosted by the Cinema Art magazine.
Among the casualties were several other foreigners including one German, one British, two Austrians, two Tajikistan citizens, and one Uzbekistan citizen.
According to the Slovak embassy in Moscow, Slovak actress Zuzana Fialová
was injured in the blast.
following the attack. Russian authorities contacted all the Russian airports to immediately start mandatory inspections of all visitors before allowing them to enter the airport buildings.
At Domodedovo, the surge of emergency vehicles caused delays for public transportation. As a result, many car owners present at the time volunteered to carpool passengers to Moscow.
The blast was followed by a drop of almost two percent at the Moscow stock exchange (MICEX
).
led by Doku Umarov
claimed responsibility for the attack, and threatened further attacks.
apportioned some blame to poor security at Domodedovo and sacked several officials – said to include a regional transport chief and a Moscow police deputy head; he also announced that he would delay his departure to the World Economic Forum
in Davos
, Switzerland. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin
condemned the bombing as an "abominable crime," and vowed that "retribution is inevitable." On February 8, 2011, following the criticism on the airport security, Putin fired the head of Russian government agency that supervises the transport infrastructure in Russia.
Many world leaders have expressed their condolences to Russia following the attack.
President of the European Council
Herman Van Rompuy
said that those responsible for the attack must be punished.
Expressions of support and condolence were also received from Abkhazia, Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Chile, the People's Republic of China, Colombia, Cuba, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, India, Iran, Israel, Mexico, North Korea, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Palestine, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, South Ossetia, Syria, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
, the former separatist government in exile (which split from the other half which would become the Caucasus Emirate in 2007), released a statement sending condolences to the victims, suggesting the attackers may have been desperate, traumatized and hopeless, and strongly condemning the bombing.
stated that the bombing was aimed "first and foremost" at foreign citizens, adding that "it was by no means an accident that the act of terror was committed in the international arrivals hall".
On February 7, 2011, Russian officials announced that the suspected suicide bomber was identified as 20-year-old Magomed Evloev (not to be confused with the journalist of the same name killed in 2008
), born in the village of Ali-yurt, Ingushetia
.
Magomed Evloyev's 16-year-old sister Fatima Evloeva and friend Umar Aushev were suspected of collaboration in the Domodedovo attack and detained in February 2011. They were released few months later, being under the investigation on the charges of the illegal possesion of firearms. In September 2011, Fatima Evloeva and Umar Aushev were no longer suspects and cleared off any charges.
In February and March 2011, Russian law enforcement agencies conducted special operations against members of the Caucasus Emirate
terrorist organization in Ingushetia
, during which they arrested several associates of the Domodedovo attack bomber, including Islam Yandiev and Ilez Yandiev.
By October 2011, the following alleged associates of Magomed Evloev were arrested and brought up on the charges of terrorism, formation/participation in illegal armed bands, assault on a police officer, and illegal possesion of firearms and explosives: Akhmed Evloev, suicide bomber's 15-year-old brother, who allegedly assisted with assembling the bomb, Islam Yandiev, Ilez Yandiev, and Bashir Khamkhoev. Leader of Caucasus Emirate
, Doku Umarov
, who is a suspected mastermind behind the Domodedovo attack, has not been apprehended.
A separate investigation was conducted in regards to the lax or inefficient security measures that were in place in the Domodedovo airport at the time of the attack. In the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attack, following the government order, the Domodedovo Airport started to conduct mandatory inspections and/or pat-downs of all passengers and visitors entering the terminal building. This practice was however ruled illegal by an appellate court in June 2011.
Suicide attack
A suicide attack is a type of attack in which the attacker expects or intends to die in the process.- Historical :...
in the international arrival hall of Moscow's busiest airport, Domodedovo Airport, on January 24, 2011.
The bombing killed at least 37 people and injured some 173, including 115 who had to be hospitalised. Of the casualties, 31 died at the scene, one on the route to hospital, three later in hospital on the same day, one died on February 2, 2011 after having been in a coma and another died on February 24, 2011. Russia's Investigative Committee
Investigative Committee of Russia
The Investigative Committee of Russian Federation is the main federal investigating authority in Russia, formed in place of the Investigative Committee of The Prosecutor of the Russian Federation. it began to operate on January 15, 2011...
later identified the suicide bomber as a 20-year-old male, native of Ingushetia
Ingushetia
The Republic of Ingushetia is a federal subject of Russia , located in the North Caucasus region with its capital at Magas. In terms of area, the republic is the smallest of Russia's federal subjects except for the two federal cities, Moscow and Saint Petersburg...
, trained by the Islamist militants from the North Caucasus region.
Background
In 2010, Domodedovo Airport located 42 kilometres (26.1 mi) southeast of central Moscow was ranked Russia's busiest airport serving over 22 million domestic and international passengers. Prior to the 2011 attack, an earlier terrorist incident had drawn concerns related to the security of the Domodedovo airport. In 2004, suicide bombers were able to get aboard of two passenger planes in Domodedovo and then carry out the explosions while in air. The incident resulted in an expensive step-up of security measures at the airport, including the installation of full body scanners.The city of Moscow had seen a number of significant terrorist incidents in the years prior to the 2011 bombing at Domodedovo. In March 2010, at least 40 people were killed in suicide bombings on the Moscow Metro
2010 Moscow Metro bombings
The 2010 Moscow Metro bombings were suicide bombings carried out by two womenduring the morning rush hour of March 29, 2010, at two stations of the Moscow Metro , with roughly 40 minutes interval between...
; in 2006, 13 people were killed in a market bombing
2006 Moscow market bombing
The 2006 Moscow market bombing occurred on August 21, 2006, when a self-made bomb of the power of more than 1 kg of TNT exploded at Moscow's Cherkizovsky Market frequented by foreign merchants. In 2008, eight members of the racialist organization The Saviour were sentenced for their roles in...
; and 2004 saw two separate major attacks on the Moscow Metro, one by a male suicide bomber on 6 February
February 2004 Moscow metro bombing
The February 2004 Moscow metro bombing occurred on 6 February 2004 when a male suicide bomber killed 41 people near Avtozavodskaya subway station on the Zamoskvoretskaya Line in Moscow...
and another by a female suicide bomber on 31 August
August 2004 Moscow metro bombing
The August 2004 Moscow metro bombing took place in the morning on August 31, 2004, when a female suicide bomber blew herself up outside Rizhskaya metro station, killing at least 10 people and wounding 50....
.
Bombing
Suicide bombing was carried out by 20-year-old Magomed Evloev, a native of IngushetiaIngushetia
The Republic of Ingushetia is a federal subject of Russia , located in the North Caucasus region with its capital at Magas. In terms of area, the republic is the smallest of Russia's federal subjects except for the two federal cities, Moscow and Saint Petersburg...
. Evloev had arrived to Moscow from Nazran
Nazran
Nazran is a town in the Republic of Ingushetia, Russia. It served as the republic's capital in 1991–2000, until the town of Magas was specially built as the new capital. Nazran is the largest city of the republic: -General:...
on a bus few days earlier. While in Moscow, he was assisted by Islam Yandiev and Ilez Yandiev, who drove Evloev to the airport and watched him carry out the bombing in the terminal. Evloev managed to carry an explosive device under his coat unnoticed while passing a security checkpoint at the terminal entrance. He proceeded through the international arrival hall to the luggage claim area where the explosive device mounted on Evloev was detonated. Investigation indicated that the explosive device
Improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
was packed with shrapnel, pieces of chopped wire and had 2 to 5 kg of TNT equivalent
TNT equivalent
TNT equivalent is a method of quantifying the energy released in explosions. The ton of TNT is a unit of energy equal to 4.184 gigajoules, which is approximately the amount of energy released in the detonation of one ton of TNT...
Victims
Most victims were the passengers who arrived to Domodedovo shortly before the attack and were present in the baggage claim hall where the explosion took place. On January 26, the Ministry of Emergency Situations reported the names of 35 casualties of the terrorist attack. Few days later, two more victims died from the sustained injuries in a hospital.One of the casualties was 29-year-old Ukrainian playwright Anna Yablonskaya
Anna Yablonskaya
Hanna Hryhorivna Mashutina , known under her pseudonyms Anna Yablonskaya or Hanna Yablonska was a Ukrainian playwright and poet, and one of the victims of the 2011 Domodedovo International Airport bombing.-Profile:...
, an author of over a dozen playscripts. She arrived to Domodedovo from her native city of Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
to attend an award ceremony in Moscow for young playwrights hosted by the Cinema Art magazine.
Among the casualties were several other foreigners including one German, one British, two Austrians, two Tajikistan citizens, and one Uzbekistan citizen.
According to the Slovak embassy in Moscow, Slovak actress Zuzana Fialová
Zuzana Fialová
Zuzana Fialová is a Slovak actress.She attended the music and drama department at the Conservatory in Bratislava, and in 1998 graduated acting studies at the drama faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava. Currently she is preparing for a graduate degree...
was injured in the blast.
| Country | Dead | Hospitalized |
|---|---|---|
 Russia |
27+2 | 57 |
 Tajikistan |
2 | 8 |
 Germany |
1 | 1 |
| 1 | ||
 Uzbekistan |
1 | 1 |
 Austria |
2 | |
 Ukraine |
1 | |
 Nigeria |
2 | |
 Slovakia |
2 | |
 Early Modern France |
1 | |
 Italy |
1 | |
 Moldova |
1 | |
 Serbia |
1 | |
 Slovenia |
1 | |
| Citizenship undisclosed | 39 | |
| Total | 37 | 115 |
Aftermath of the attack
A number of flights originally bound for Domodedovo were redirected to Moscow's Vnukovo International AirportVnukovo International Airport
Vnukovo International Airport , is a dual runway international airport located southwest from the centre of Moscow, Russia. It is one of three major airports serving Moscow...
following the attack. Russian authorities contacted all the Russian airports to immediately start mandatory inspections of all visitors before allowing them to enter the airport buildings.
At Domodedovo, the surge of emergency vehicles caused delays for public transportation. As a result, many car owners present at the time volunteered to carpool passengers to Moscow.
The blast was followed by a drop of almost two percent at the Moscow stock exchange (MICEX
Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange
The Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange or MICEX is one of the largest universal stock exchanges in the Russian Federation and East Europe. MICEX opened in 1992 and is the leading Russian stock exchange...
).
Responsibility
On 8 February 2011, a faction of the Caucasus EmirateCaucasus Emirate
The Caucasus Emirate also known as the Caucasian Emirate is a self-proclaimed virtual state entity, partially successor to the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria and was officially announced on October 31, 2007 by former President of Ichkeria Dokka Umarov, who became the first Emir...
led by Doku Umarov
Doku Umarov
Doku Khamatovich Umarov is a major Chechen Islamist rebel militant in Russia. He is responsible for numerous terror attacks on civilians, earning himself the nickname "Russia's Osama Bin Laden"....
claimed responsibility for the attack, and threatened further attacks.
Response
President Dmitry MedvedevDmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
apportioned some blame to poor security at Domodedovo and sacked several officials – said to include a regional transport chief and a Moscow police deputy head; he also announced that he would delay his departure to the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
in Davos
Davos
Davos is a municipality in the district of Prättigau/Davos in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It has a permanent population of 11,248 . Davos is located on the Landwasser River, in the Swiss Alps, between the Plessur and Albula Range...
, Switzerland. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
condemned the bombing as an "abominable crime," and vowed that "retribution is inevitable." On February 8, 2011, following the criticism on the airport security, Putin fired the head of Russian government agency that supervises the transport infrastructure in Russia.
Many world leaders have expressed their condolences to Russia following the attack.
President of the European Council
President of the European Council
The President of the European Council is a principal representative of the European Union on the world stage, and the person presiding over and driving forward the work of the European Council...
Herman Van Rompuy
Herman Van Rompuy
Herman Achille Van Rompuy is the first long-term and full-time President of the European Council...
said that those responsible for the attack must be punished.
Expressions of support and condolence were also received from Abkhazia, Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Chile, the People's Republic of China, Colombia, Cuba, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, India, Iran, Israel, Mexico, North Korea, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Palestine, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, South Ossetia, Syria, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria is the unrecognized secessionist government of Chechnya. The republic was proclaimed in late 1991 by Dzokhar Dudayev, and fought two devastating wars between separatists and the Russian Federation which denounced secession...
, the former separatist government in exile (which split from the other half which would become the Caucasus Emirate in 2007), released a statement sending condolences to the victims, suggesting the attackers may have been desperate, traumatized and hopeless, and strongly condemning the bombing.
Investigation
In the aftermath of the explosion, Russia's Investigative CommitteeInvestigative Committee of Russia
The Investigative Committee of Russian Federation is the main federal investigating authority in Russia, formed in place of the Investigative Committee of The Prosecutor of the Russian Federation. it began to operate on January 15, 2011...
stated that the bombing was aimed "first and foremost" at foreign citizens, adding that "it was by no means an accident that the act of terror was committed in the international arrivals hall".
On February 7, 2011, Russian officials announced that the suspected suicide bomber was identified as 20-year-old Magomed Evloev (not to be confused with the journalist of the same name killed in 2008
Magomed Yevloyev
Magomed Yakhyаvich Yevloyev was an Ingush journalist, lawyer, and businessman, and the owner of the news website Ingushetiya.ru, known for being highly critical of Murat Zyazikov, the President of Ingushetia, a federal subject of Russia bordering Chechnya...
), born in the village of Ali-yurt, Ingushetia
Ingushetia
The Republic of Ingushetia is a federal subject of Russia , located in the North Caucasus region with its capital at Magas. In terms of area, the republic is the smallest of Russia's federal subjects except for the two federal cities, Moscow and Saint Petersburg...
.
Magomed Evloyev's 16-year-old sister Fatima Evloeva and friend Umar Aushev were suspected of collaboration in the Domodedovo attack and detained in February 2011. They were released few months later, being under the investigation on the charges of the illegal possesion of firearms. In September 2011, Fatima Evloeva and Umar Aushev were no longer suspects and cleared off any charges.
In February and March 2011, Russian law enforcement agencies conducted special operations against members of the Caucasus Emirate
Caucasus Emirate
The Caucasus Emirate also known as the Caucasian Emirate is a self-proclaimed virtual state entity, partially successor to the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria and was officially announced on October 31, 2007 by former President of Ichkeria Dokka Umarov, who became the first Emir...
terrorist organization in Ingushetia
Ingushetia
The Republic of Ingushetia is a federal subject of Russia , located in the North Caucasus region with its capital at Magas. In terms of area, the republic is the smallest of Russia's federal subjects except for the two federal cities, Moscow and Saint Petersburg...
, during which they arrested several associates of the Domodedovo attack bomber, including Islam Yandiev and Ilez Yandiev.
By October 2011, the following alleged associates of Magomed Evloev were arrested and brought up on the charges of terrorism, formation/participation in illegal armed bands, assault on a police officer, and illegal possesion of firearms and explosives: Akhmed Evloev, suicide bomber's 15-year-old brother, who allegedly assisted with assembling the bomb, Islam Yandiev, Ilez Yandiev, and Bashir Khamkhoev. Leader of Caucasus Emirate
Caucasus Emirate
The Caucasus Emirate also known as the Caucasian Emirate is a self-proclaimed virtual state entity, partially successor to the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria and was officially announced on October 31, 2007 by former President of Ichkeria Dokka Umarov, who became the first Emir...
, Doku Umarov
Doku Umarov
Doku Khamatovich Umarov is a major Chechen Islamist rebel militant in Russia. He is responsible for numerous terror attacks on civilians, earning himself the nickname "Russia's Osama Bin Laden"....
, who is a suspected mastermind behind the Domodedovo attack, has not been apprehended.
A separate investigation was conducted in regards to the lax or inefficient security measures that were in place in the Domodedovo airport at the time of the attack. In the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attack, following the government order, the Domodedovo Airport started to conduct mandatory inspections and/or pat-downs of all passengers and visitors entering the terminal building. This practice was however ruled illegal by an appellate court in June 2011.
See also
- 21st century attacks in Russia