Russia to launch anti-terror drills for transportation safety

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had ordered the launch of regular nationwide anti-terror drills to ensure the country's transportation safety, the Kremlin said Friday.

The order had been sent to the chief of Russia's Federal Security Service and the ministers of the interior, emergency and transport departments, the Kremlin said.

Russia has been plagued by terrorism for years, much of it emanating from the Caucasus region. Transport safety has been on the top of the government's agenda since last month's deadly terror attack at Moscow's Domodedovo Airport, which killed 36 people and wounded more than 130 others.

The president vowed to take tougher measures to ensure transportation safety and sacked several officials in charge of it.

He inspected Moscow's Kievsky railway station Thursday and ordered Russian Railways (RZD), the country's rail monopoly, to beef up security on the rail network.

Last Sunday, all nine railway stations in Moscow received hoax bomb threats.

Source: Xinhua