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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, October 29, 2002

Muscovites Mourns Victims of Recent Hostage Tragedy

Millions of Muscovites mourned the 117 victims of the recent hostage tragedy on Monday, an official day of mourning announced by President Vladimir Putin.


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Millions of Muscovites mourned the 117 victims of the recent hostage tragedy on Monday, an official day of mourning announced by President Vladimir Putin.

While some 700 hostages were rescued in a storm by the special forces, medical officials said the latest death toll in the disaster reached 117. All but one of them were killed by a specialgas used by the special forces to knock out the attackers before they stormed into the theater, where the hostages had been held for nearly 57 hours.

The Russian news agency said that 405 former hostages remained hospitalized Monday, nine of them children, after 239 were released. Among them, 45 were in very serious condition.

President Putin, who started a cabinet meeting with one minute of silent tribute, pledged a hard line against international terrorism.

"The tragic events in Moscow are over, but we are paying a heavy price," said the president, meanwhile stressing that "Russiawill make no deals with terrorists and will not give in to any blackmail."

"International terrorism is becoming bolder, acting more cruelly, and here and there around the world threats of the use ofmeans comparable to weapons of mass destruction are heard."

Flags were flown at half mast and light entertainment was canceled in Moscow. School children stood for a minute of silence before starting classes. Passers-by placed flowers and candles outside the theater where the hostages were.

During the meeting, Putin instructed the military to change itsguidelines on the use of military forces "bearing in mind the mounting threat of international terrorism with the use of means comparable to weapons of mass destruction."

He also asked the government officials to make proposals to prevent the possibility of new terrorist acts and to minimize the consequences of the hostage crisis.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Valentina Matviyenko said Monday that victims would receive financial compensation -- 100,000 rubles ( 3,150 US dollars) for relatives of the dead and half of the amount for hostages who survived.

The federal and Moscow city governments would also pay for funerals, she said.


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