Monday is a day of mourning in Russia for Moscow terrorist victims

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree declaring mourning for the Moscow terrorist act victims. As RIA Novosti was told in the press service of the head of state, Monday, October 28th, has been declared a day of mourning.

On Sunday, RIA Novosti was informed in the Health Ministry that the death toll of the terrorist act in Moscow amounted to 118 persons. However, as was reported by chairman of the health committee of Moscow Andrei Seltsovsky at the news conference on Sunday, as of 15:00, Moscow time, the number of the victims was 117 people. Among them, according to his data, 63 men and 54 women.

The majority of the former hostages in the Moscow hospitals are in a satisfactory state.

Over ten former hostages of the terrorists in the Theatre Centre in Dubrovka left City Hospital No. 13 on Sunday.

As was reported by the Ukrainian Embassy in Russia, six citizens of Ukraine, who were hostages of the terrorists in the Theatre Centre in Dubrovka, left the First City Hospital in Moscow on Sunday.

On Monday the biggest television and radio companies will not broadcast advertisements and entertaining programmes.

All entertaining plays and shows in Moscow, which were scheduled for Monday, will be put off. The Moscow committee for culture reported that any musicals, which contain even the slightest funny elements, will be canceled.

In all Moscow schools classes will be resumed on Monday. Press secretary of the Education Department Alexander Gavrilov said that "from October 28, the educational process in all educational establishments of the city will be resumed in the normal regime." Nevertheless, pointed out Alexander Gavrilov, the schools will continue to be guarded at an enhanced level. He added that in view of the mourning, no entertaining, sport and cultural events will be held for children.

In the course of the police activity in different districts of Moscow, four men, who had weapons or ammunition on them, were detained. Two of them are inhabitants of Chechnya, one is from Ingushetia (a North Caucasian republic bordering on Chechnya) and the other one is from Georgia. At the present time, their complicity in organised criminal groups and also their ties with the terrorists are being verified.

Reinforced with OMON staffers, policemen from the State Traffic Inspection continue to examine all transport vehicles, including trucks leaving Moscow, as well as the documents of the drivers. Cars are examined selectively. As one of the traffic inspectors said, the examination will continue to a special decision of the GIBDD (the State Traffic Inspection). Examination of transport vehicles is being carried out practically on all the roads leading to Moscow.