Nord Ost - what is it, and how was it

A new century was remembered by many people on the planet with a series of major tragedies.

In August 2000, the submarine Kursk was in distress.

September 2001 - there is the largest tragedy in the history of the United States, which the whole world sees live. Undermining terrorists of the largest shopping center in New York.

In July 2002, the biggest catastrophe in the history of the air show was the Sknilov tragedy. In the crowd of spectators, the Su-27 fighter that crashes is crashing.

From 23.10 to 26. 10. 2002 - in Moscow, a tragedy in the Moscow Theater Center on Dubrovka. The militants capture the hostages of visitors to the musical "Nord-Ost" and theater workers. And now everyone understands by the word "Nord-Ost", what is tragedy and grief for the whole country.

The terrorist attack on Dubrovka - as it was

About all events that occurred during the musical "Nord-Ost", the banned film "The Moscow Siege" tells with the accuracy of the front newsreel.

To carry out the terrorist attack by militants, several objects were considered, on which as many citizens as possible could be present. The choice was from three goals - the Moscow State Variety Theater, the Palace of Youth and the Theater Center on Dubrovka. For this, several women-terrorists moved around the city and took photos of selected objects.

As a result, the criminals chose the theater on Dubrovka because of the large capacity of the auditorium and a small number of ancillary facilities.

And already in the beginning of October preparations began for the seizure of the building. From Chechnya to Moscow, cars and explosives were delivered by cars. Also in small groups came the militants. Housing was selected in different parts of the city, in rented apartments.

The documentary "Moscow Siege" reproduces the chronicle of the events that occurred when the musical performance "Nord-Ost" is shown both from the eyewitnesses' words and from the stories of the participants of the events themselves.

The numerical composition of the group was approximately 40 people. In addition, half of them were female suicide bombers. Armed people in camouflage came to the building of the Theater Center on three minibuses. At 21.15 the seizure of the shopping center began, at which time a play was staged. Hostages were 916 people - spectators and actors of the theater.

No one seriously took the first shots in the audience from the audience. The shots sounded loud, but everyone wondered what would happen next, because no one believed in the seriousness of the situation during the performance ("Nord-Ost"), that such a thing was possible at all.

Female suicide bombers

But the bandits arrived, filling the hall, and the suicide girls appeared. But the shahid's belts were not there at that moment - they were worn later.

Unlike men who looked 20-30 years old, the suicide bombers were obviously young. Sixteen to twenty years. Everyone had belts with explosives, grenades and pistols.

And it was immediately evident that the female suicide bombers obviously did not understand the weapons. Young spectators of the show "Nord-Ost", that such a pistol, had a very remote view. And so the skills of possession of weapons were taught right on the spot.

Negotiations with terrorists, as it happened

The fact that the attack was carefully thought out is evidenced by the fact that on October 24, 2002 at 7 pm the Al Jazeera television channel demonstrated the pre-prepared appeal of the head of the militants Movsar Barayev, in which he declared the whole group suicide bombers and demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops from Territory of Chechnya. Otherwise, the spectators of the performance "Nord-Ost", what this means death, will experience on themselves.

At 5.30 a young woman Olga Romanova, a saleswoman of a perfume shopping center, enters freely into the building, and in 8.15 - Lieutenant Colonel Konstantin Vasilyev. But the terrorists did not believe the negotiators and both were shot.

After the representative of the State Duma from Chechnya, Aslambek Aslakhanov, left for negotiations , the negotiations took an active phase, and several dozen hostages were released in their course.

Russian politicians also actively participated in the negotiations. Public figures, journalists, ex-president of Ingushetia took part in the negotiation process.

Storm of Special Forces

However, all efforts made to free all the hostages turned out to be futile. The militants began to behave extremely aggressively and kill people.

To prevent mass casualties, a special operation was launched by a special-purpose detachment of the FSB, who carefully studied the theater where the musical "Nord-Ost" was taking place, what is the building as a whole and the plan of individual rooms.

26.10.2002 at 5.30 in the morning near the shopping center three explosions and automatic lines were thundering, and at 6.00 by special forces an assault was launched. To prevent explosions, the FSB group used military nerve gas.

The sad results of victory

At about 8 am the deputy head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs V. Vasiliev reported the results of the operation:

• Killed - 36 bandits;
• Released - more than 750 hostages;
• Killed - 67 people.

What are the results of the operation to free the spectators of the show "Nord-Ost", the film shows with merciless precision. A few dozen people died in hospitals for several days. So the number of victims increased to 130 people (10 of them were children).

Among the dead - more than twenty people who worked in the theater.

Now in front of the Theater on Dubrovka there is a memorial "In memory of the victims of terrorism", which was opened on October 23, 2003.