Meeting with representatives of the Mothers of Beslan Association of Victims of Terrorist Attacks

At the beginning of the meeting, the President stressed that it is taking place shortly before the 20th
anniversary of a great tragedy for the whole country and for the victims’ families.
The terrorist attack in Beslan claimed the lives of 334 people.
“We know full well
that abroad they tried not only to justify this horrendous crime, but also
provided various forms of assistance to the terrorists: moral, political,
informational, financial and military,” Vladimir Putin noted.
The President emphasized
that this tragedy will forever remain an open wound in Russia’s historical
memory, while for the families, for those who lost their children, this wound
will never heal and will bleed forever. Vladimir Putin once again expressed his
deepest condolences.
The head of state
also noted that these days, Russia pays tribute to FSB officers who covered the children with their bodies and to perished comrades from the Interior Ministry
and the Emergencies Ministry.
Vladimir Putin
noted that in previous years, a programme was elaborated and implemented to support the residents of Beslan, and this work will be continued.
The President
stressed, “As for our adversaries and enemies, they don’t give up on their attempts
to destabilise our country. This is obvious. Just as we fought against
terrorists in the past, we must now fight against those responsible for crimes
in the Kursk Region, Donbass and Novorossiya. But just as we achieved our goals
in the fight against terrorism, we will also prevail in the fight against
neo-Nazism and punish the criminals. There can be no doubt about it.”