President describes Yessentuki terror act as attempt to shatter stability ahead of parliamentary elections

Today's terrorist act in Yessentuki (North Caucasus) is an attempt to shatter stability in the country ahead of parliamentary elections, President Vladimir Putin said Friday at a meeting with Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov and Federal Security Service (FSB) chief Nikolai Patrushev.

"The criminals will not achieve this goal. Ordinary Russian people won't let them," said the president.

"The central government and the regional authorities will offer every assistance to the victims, while the security agencies and the Prosecutor General's Office must do everything to solve this crime," emphasized the president.

The terrorist attack on a commuter train was perpetrated by a group of four, the FSB director told the president.

He said the group had involved 3 women and 1 man.

"Two women were in the carriage and jumped out of it before it the blast went off. The other woman oversaw the operation and, therefore, hardly survived," said Mr Patrushev.

The man will hardly be identified. "He was a suicide terrorist, judging by grenades tied to his legs," said the FSB director.

Cars were noticed not far from the scene. The people inside were watching and controlling the attack, according to Mr Patrushev.

A team of Prosecutor General's Office, Interior Ministry and FSB investigators is working at the scene.

The instigators and attackers must be identified in the first instance, he said.