Chechen separatists blow up Moscow Subway, 35+ killed.

[archibaldcrane]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe...ex.html?hpt=T1

Moscow (CNN) -- Explosions that rocked two subway stations in central Moscow during Monday morning rush hour are being investigated as acts of terrorism, authorities said.

Suicide bombers were suspected, the Russian prosecutor's office said.

The blasts killed at least 35 people and wounded 40 others, Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry said. The casualty tolls were fluctuating immediately after the blasts.

The first explosion occurred about 8 a.m. at Lubyanka subway station, killing at 23 people and injuring 20.

The Lubyanka station is near the Kremlin and the nation's intelligence service, the Federal Security Service.

Another blast happened about 30 minutes later at Park Kultury station, on the same train line. The Emergency Situations Ministry reported 12 dead in the second explosion, with 20 more injured.

Millions of commuters use the Moscow metro system every day.

A Web site associated with Chechen separatists claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Immediately after the explosions, officials had cast suspicion on the separatists.

Chechens have long fought for independence from Russia.

Chechnya is a southwestern Russian republic, in the Caucasus Mountains region. Chechnya's population of 600,000 to 800,000 is primarily made up of Sunni Muslims and Russian Orthodox Christians. Thousands have been killed and 500,000 Chechen people have been displaced in their conflict with Moscow.

A Chechen female suicide bomber in August 2004 killed nine people and herself, and wounded 51 others, when she detonated a bomb outside a subway station in northeastern Moscow. In February 2004, a suicide bomber detonated a bomb on a Moscow metro train, killing 40 people and injuring 100 others. A suicide attack in 2003 killed 15 people at a Moscow concert.

Chechen terrorists killed hundreds in 2004 at a school in Beslan, Russia. They also were suspected in the downing of two Russian airplanes that year in an attack that killed 89.

Another in a long line of asymmetrical warfare instances in the past 18 years, since Russia prevented Chechnya from declaring independence when the USSR fell and a crippling war ensued (from 1994-1996).

[kuronosan]

This shit again? God damn it just let them go if they want out that bad.

[510Meeze]

This shit again? God damn it just let them go if they want out that bad.

Greatest response from a 12 yo. When you get to the Civil War in history class, maybe you'll learn a bit more about why countries don't let states secede.

[Mytiwar]

In before Russian tanks everywhere in Chechnya

[Jodwahh]

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...l-in-team-.jpg

I cannot fucking berieve these fucking chechens!

[Correction]

In before Russian tanks everywhere in Chechnya

Did the tanks ever leave?

[Faris]

this is real life braveheart yo

[archibaldcrane]

Greatest response from a 12 yo. When you get to the Civil War in history class, maybe you'll learn a bit more about why countries don't let states secede.

What I don't understand, however, is why they let, what, 10 "states" secede and become independent nations after the fall of the USSR, but they were adamant about not letting Chechnya do the same.

Does anyone know the reasoning behind this?

[Vistani]

Because Chechnya was a part of Russia before the soviet union was formed and not seen as a seperate state.

[GRT]

history sux, if only everyone would skip that subject then we would find political/regional conflict debates much more exciting

[Faris]

your face sux

[Psilocybin]

I think I remember news saying Chechnya had/has a bunch of Russian nukes. They maybe got them out during that occupation in 94-96, but if they left the nukes there that's good enough reason not to let them secede.
After looking up some info it seems they planted a dirty bomb in a park but never detonated it. Being tied to al-qaeda and their wish to obtain nukes/dirty bombs to use against Russia is probably a good enough reason for Russians to not want to let them secede.
Link talks about missing Russian nukes after USSR split and other al-qaeda info/threats.
http://www.crusade-media.com/news1.html

[Kiro]

Metro 2033.

[Lostprophet]

What I don't understand, however, is why they let, what, 10 "states" secede and become independent nations after the fall of the USSR, but they were adamant about not letting Chechnya do the same.

Does anyone know the reasoning behind this?

Caucus Mountain region is geographically strategic point for Russia, rising between Caspian/Black seas. It's a huge melting pot for natural resources that Russia will never hand over to a separate state.

As much chance of this happening as Hawaii has seceding.

[anjiru]

Just wondering.. suicide bombers, yet:

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said the "terrorists" responsible for the Moscow subway attacks Monday "will be destroyed."

[Sepukku]

This always remind me of:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...5115441AAsJZgN

[Akucaen]

Metro 2033.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought of this first, lol.

[kuronosan]

Greatest response from a 12 yo. When you get to the Civil War in history class, maybe you'll learn a bit more about why countries don't let states secede.

First of all, I'm not 12. Second of all, I learned all about the Civil War in my two Western Civ classes.

I'm well aware of the consequences of letting states secede. There's a huge difference between letting half the country secede and form a different nation than letting a country that amounts to the size of a dime fend for itself until it falls to pieces.

You know, just like the South did. It's not as if the South wouldn't have collapsed if Lee hadn't surrendered at Appomatox. That whole plantation thing wasn't going to save their economy. They were hoping to defeat the overconfident North and blah blah Grant and Lee blah blah death of Stonewall who gives a fuck.

The entire point of this is Putin is going to lay waste to these dumbasses and they're going to want to secede even more. If it wasn't such a strategically important area for Russia they wouldn't give a shit.

[Mytiwar]

Did the tanks ever leave?

Probably not eh, but I'm just wondering if it'll be Georgia/Ossetia all over again.

[archibaldcrane]

Can they really do more to fuck Chechnya up really? I mean, something like 80% of its residents have been displaced in the past 20 years between two wars and the violence in the interim.