OTHER STILL UNANSWERED QUESTIONS SWIRL ABOUT INCIDENT

In an October 27 analysis for Novaya gazeta, the prominent military analyst Pavel Felgenhauer accused the authorities of having failed “to clarify even one of the crucial questions” connected with the Dubrovka tragedy. “Why did the authorities order the storming of the building on October 27,” he asked, “without even seriously trying to conduct negotiations? Why did the terrorists not blow up the building, which was already mined? Just what was the gas used by the special services? A monument was unveiled to observe the anniversary, but official television only produced two broadcasts, which were free of real content.”

Felgenhauer reported that an officer in the Interior Ministry recently told him that, in the opinion of the security services, the gas had worked even better than they had expected–that the security services had carried out their duty, but the rescue and health services had performed badly. “That,” concluded Felgenhauer, “is now the general line: The rescue workers are to blame for everything.”