MOSCOW, January 1 (RIA Novosti) – Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed public security and anti-terrorism measures early on Wednesday in the southern Russian city of Volgograd, which is reeling from two suicide bombings within 24 hours.
Two separate suicide bombings ripped through the city’s railway terminal on Sunday and a trolleybus on Monday, killing a total of 34 people. Another attack by a female suicide bomber on a commuter bus in Volgograd in October killed six people and injured 37.
Putin arrived in the city on Wednesday morning, hours after delivering a New Year’s speech in which he called the attacks “inhumane” and vowed that his country would continue to battle terrorists until all are eliminated.
Shortly after arriving to Volgograd, the president met with senior regional and federal officials to discuss “what is being done here and all across the country to maintain public security.”
The meeting was attended by FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Health Minister c, Volgograd Region Governor Sergei Bozhenov and other officials.
After the meeting, Putin laid flowers to the site of the Monday attack and visited victims who are being treated in one of the city’s hospitals.
