Russia has tragically been a recurrent target, facing numerous devastating terrorist attacks over the past decades. Each of these incidents has left a deep scars on the nation, with lives lost and communities shattered.
BusinessDay reported, that gunmen, clad in camouflage attire, assaulted a rock concert in a Moscow suburb, resulting in a minimum of 40 fatalities and 100 injuries on March 22, 2024. The attackers entered the venue, firing shots, and reportedly deployed a grenade or incendiary bomb, igniting a fire in the theater.
Here’s a chronological look at the 13 devastating terrorist attacks in the Russian Federation
1999 Russian Apartment Bombings — 300 deaths
The September 1999 apartment bombings in Buynaksk, Moscow, and Volgodonsk claimed over 300 lives and injured over 1,000 people. Sparking fear nationwide and contributing to the outbreak of the Second Chechen War, bolstering Vladimir Putin’s rise to power. Investigations into the attacks raised suspicions of involvement by Russian government agencies, fueling ongoing debates and calls for independent inquiries.
2002 Nord-Ost Siege — 170 deaths
The 2002 Nord-Ost siege occurred from October 23 to October 26 at the Dubrovka Theater in Moscow, led by Chechen terrorists demanding the withdrawal of Russian forces from Chechnya. Russian security forces, facing the challenge of rescuing 912 hostages, deployed sleeping gas and stormed the theater, resulting in the deaths of all 40 hostage takers and tragically claiming 132 hostage lives due to the gas’s effects.
2004 Beslan School Siege — 334 deaths
The 2004 Beslan school siege occurred from September 1 to September 3 in Beslan, North Ossetia–Alania, Russia, with over 1,100 hostages, including 777 children, held captive by Chechen terrorists demanding Russian withdrawal from Chechnya. Tragically, 334 lost their lives, including 186 children, making it the deadliest school shooting in history. The siege ended in a violent confrontation when Russian security forces stormed the building, resulting in casualties among both hostages and attackers.
2006 Moscow Market Bombing — 13 deaths
The 2006 Moscow market bombing on August 21 resulted in the deaths of thirteen individuals from different countries, including Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Belarus, and China, who were traders and shoppers at the Cherkizovsky Market. Perpetrated by members of the racialist organization The Saviour, the attack was motivated by racial and nationalist sentiments. Legal proceedings led to the sentencing of eight individuals on charges including racially motivated murder, terrorism, and illegal production of explosives, with varying prison terms handed down, including life imprisonment.
2010 Moscow Metro Bombings — 38 deaths
The 2010 Moscow Metro bombings on March 29 targeted Lubyanka and Park Kultury stations, claiming at least 38 lives and injuring over 100. Carried out by two female Islamic terrorists with roughly 40 minutes between blasts, the incident was deemed the deadliest and most sophisticated terrorist attack in Moscow. The Caucasus Emirate, led by Doku Umarov, claimed responsibility, advocating for independence in the North Caucasus region. An accomplice facilitating the bombers’ entry into Moscow was subsequently apprehended.
2011 Domodedovo International Airport Attack — 37 deaths
The 2011 Domodedovo International Airport bombing on January 24 resulted in the deaths of 37 individuals and injuries to 173 others, including 86 requiring hospitalization. Perpetrated by members of the Caucasus Emirate and the Riyad-us Saliheen Brigade, the attack targeted the airport, a major hub for both foreign workers and tourists. The explosion, caused by an improvised explosive device in the baggage claim area, was equivalent to two to five kilograms of TNT. The suicide bomber, a 20-year-old from the North Caucasus, aimed the attack primarily at foreign citizens.
2013 Volgograd Bombing — 34 deaths
The 2013 Volgograd bombings on December 29 and 30 targeted mass transportation, resulting in significant loss of life. The Volgograd-1 railway station bombing claimed 18 lives and injured at least 44, with the bomber identified as Pavel Pechenkin, an ethnic Russian convert to Islam. The following day, a trolleybus bombing took 16 lives, also perpetrated by Pechenkin. Experts suspect Islamist militant Doku Umarov’s involvement in these attacks, highlighting the devastating impact of terrorism on civilian communities.
2014 Grozny Bombing — 5 deaths
The 2014 Grozny bombing, a terrorist attack in the Chechen Republic, Russia, occurred on October 5. Opti Mudarov, a 19-year-old, went to the town hall where an event was underway to mark Grozny City Day celebrations, coinciding with Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov’s birthday. Police officers, noticing Mudarov acting suspiciously, stopped and searched him. Tragically, the bomb he was carrying exploded during the search, killing five officers along with the suicide bomber and wounding 12 others.
2014 Grozny Clashes — 26 deaths
The 2014 Grozny clashes erupted on December 4 in the Chechen Republic, Russia, involving armed militants and security forces. Islamist militants attacked a traffic police checkpoint outside Grozny before occupying two key locations: the Press House building in the city center and an abandoned school nearby. Security forces launched a counter-terrorism operation, resulting in casualties on both sides, including 14 policemen, 11 militants, and one civilian killed, with 36 policemen wounded. The incident left the Press House severely damaged and occurred within the region’s history of conflict and instability.
2015 Metrojet Flight 9268 — 217 deaths
Metrojet Flight 9268 tragically exploded over Sinai on October 31, 2015, claiming the lives of all 224 passengers and crew. Russian investigators attributed the disaster to a terrorist attack, pointing to an onboard bomb, likely smuggled through security at Sharm El Sheikh. The Islamic State’s Sinai Branch claimed responsibility, aiming to disrupt tourism and flights to the region. Despite initial acknowledgments of terrorism, an Egyptian court later ruled it wasn’t, dismissing related lawsuits against officials and involved companies.
2017 St. Petersburg Metro Bombing — 15 deaths
The 2017 St. Petersburg Metro bombing occurred on April 3, 2017, between Sennaya Ploshchad and Tekhnologichesky Institut stations. Fifteen people, including the perpetrator, lost their lives, with at least 45 others injured. The suspected perpetrator was identified as Akbarzhon Jalilov, a Russian citizen of Uzbek ethnicity born in Kyrgyzstan.
2023 Explosion in a Saint Petersburg Café — 1 death
On April 2, 2023, a bombing at Street Food Bar No.1 café in Saint Petersburg, Russia, resulted in one fatality and 42 injuries, with 24 hospitalized, including six critical cases. The victim was Russian military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky, known for his critical views on Russian military leaders and President Vladimir Putin. The explosive device, concealed within a statuette offered to Tatarsky by a woman, had a power equivalent to over 200g of TNT, causing significant damage to the café’s front.
2024 Crocus City Hall Attack — 80 deaths
The 2024 Crocus City Hall attack took place on March 22, 2024, in Krasnogorsk, a Russian city on the western edge of Moscow. During a concert of the band “Picnic” at the Crocus City Hall, unidentified gunmen opened fire, resulting in the loss of at least 40 lives and injuries to over 145 people, but today this number has doubled, and it is now reported that at least 80 people have died, including several children. The attackers clad in camouflage gear carried out this brazen act, leaving the nation in shock and highlighting the persistent threat of terrorism within the Russian Federation
