KASPIISK (voa) – Authorities in Russia’s southern republic of Dagestan have declared Friday a day of mourning, following a deadly bombing that left at least 34 people dead and 150 others injured.
The remote-controlled explosion occurred Thursday in the Caspian Sea port of Kaspiisk during a parade marking Russia’s victory in World War II.
The victims were mostly children and servicemen. No one has claimed responsibility, but local officials suspect Islamic militants.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned the blast and says there is no doubt it is the work of terrorists. He told a Kremlin Victory Day gathering that the blast was the work of “Nazi-like scum” who, he said, hold nothing sacred. He vowed to hunt down and punish those responsible.
In a White House statement, President Bush called the attack an “evil act of terrorism,” and noted that it took place at a time when the United States and Russia are allied in a war against terror.
Dagestan borders the breakaway region of Chechnya where Muslim rebels are fighting for independence. The fighting in Chechnya often spills over into Dagestan where small-scale bombings have been quite frequent.
