© RIA Novosti. Andrey Stenin
'Chaos' made airport an easy target - Medvedev
by Andy Potts at 25/01/2011 16:00
President Dmitry Medvedev has blamed “chaos” for aiding the work of terrorists at Domodedovo airport following yesterday’s deadly attack.
“Information from the scene indicates that there was just chaos; people could enter [the airport] from anywhere,” he said. “Control was limited, and it wasn’t directed at those who were meeting passengers.”
The blast occurred in the area just outside the international arrivals hall, where many had gathered to meet friends, relatives and business contacts from their flights.
Systematic failure
In a harshly-worded statement the president went on to lambast the management of the privately owned airport, RIA Novosti reported.
Medvedev added that there had been “systematic failures” in guaranteeing security and called for more effective screening of passengers and luggage to be provided to prevent further attacks.
However, like all Russian airports, Domodedovo already has security checks at the entrance to the building.
These were installed in 2004 after a pair of suicide bombers smuggled explosives on to two jets, bringing them down in mid-flight and killing a total of 90 people.
But in recent years these have rarely been used, with people coming and going from the building at will, with security checks only implemented after check-in and passport control.
Following Medvedev’s words the entrance scans are set to be brought back into use at Domodedovo and other airports. Pulkovo airport in St. Petersburg has already asked passengers to arrive early to allow for delays caused by the new regime.
Run of problems
Domodedovo, which overtook Sheremetyevo as Moscow’s principle air hub after the collapse of the USSR allowed private management to redevelop the site and lure foreign airlines to its runways, has had a difficult winter.
Before yesterday’s attack, which killed 35 and injured up to 180, it had endured a collapse at the end of December when freezing rain and power failure disrupted flights.
The poor handling of that crisis prompted the dismissal of Vyacheslav Nekrasov, but new airport director Igor Borisov immediately finds himself under pressure.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
'Chaos' made airport an easy target - Medvedev | POLITICS | The Moscow News
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