Terrorists will not undermine Russian statehood

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the terrorist act in Grozny was another attempt to disrupt political settlement in Chechnya.

"Terrorists are trying to do this by toughest political means. But they will not have their way," stressed the Russian president, appearing Monday at a traditional Kremlin session with government members.

"Unfortunately," said Mr Putin, "the year is ending with tragic events in Chechnya where another terrorist act has been committed." "As to the reasons and the way the crime was perpetrated, it is law-enforcers' duty, above all the prosecutor's office's to probe into the case, though the interior ministry and FSB (Federal Security Service) should analyse what happened there and make adequate conclusions," said the president.

As to the political assessment, Putin stated that "an overwhelming majority of politicians and ordinary people understand that this was another attempt to disrupt political settlement which was launched some time ago in the Chechen republic." "They [terrorists] can certainly increase the number of victims, including among their own people," stressed Vladimir Putin. "But they will not disrupt the political settlement." "Neither will they solve the brutal task they set for themselves - to upset stabilisation in the republic and the strengthening of Russia's statehood as a whole," said the president.