At least one British traveller was among at least 35 people killed by a suicide bomber at Moscow’s busiest airport. Reports of a second British death are being investigated by the Foreign Office.
The involvement of British travellers emerged as Russian president Dmitry Medvedev described the bombing as a “well-planned act of terror”.
Management at Domodedovo airport should be held accountable for the attack which killed 35 and left almost 170 wounded as there had been a clear beach of security, he said.
Russia has been placed on high alert following the blast which is believed to be the work of a female suicide bomber.
Witnesses said the bomber walked into the arrivals hall and detonated explosives in a suitcase shortly after the arrival of many international flights.
Medvedev said on Russian television: “Based on (the bomb’s) location and other indirect evidence, this was a well-planed act of terror that aimed to kill as many people as possible.
“What happened demonstrates that there were clear security breaches. Someone had to try very hard to carry or bring through such a vast amount of explosives.
“Everyone linked to the company that makes decisions there, and the management of the airport itself, has to answer for everything. This is an act of terror. This is grief. This is a tragedy.”
Medvedev chaired an emergency meeting of top officials and ordered security across Russia’s travel network to be stepped up.
He said the bombing showed Russia’s security regulations were not being followed properly.
“What happened indicates that far from all the laws that need to be working are being used correctly.”
Despite the devastating attack reports today said the airport was closed to incoming and outgoing aircraft for just 20 minutes with a small number of aircraft sent to Moscow’s other two major airports.