Medvedev boosts security after airport terror attack
The explosion occurred around 4:30 pm at the entrance to the international arrivals section Domodedovo airport, news agency Itar-Tass, quoting a spokesman of the Research Committee of Russia, Tatiana Morozova.
State television aired the video terminal smoked, including what looked like bodies and luggage on the ground.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called the bombing a terrorist attack and immediately ordered extra security at airports and transportation hubs across the country. Moscow police on alert in case of new attacks.
Russian Health Minister Tatyana Golikova said 35 people died in the blast and 93 people were hospitalized. Forty-one of the wounded were in serious or critical condition, "he said. Some people have received care outside the hospital, while others were treated for hearing loss, fractures and smoke inhalation.
Earlier, the Russian National Anti-terrorism Committee said 35 people were killed and 152 wounded in the explosion.
State television, quoting the Russian authorities said the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber rammed an explosive device with small metal objects to make it more lethal, so it was in a crowded area where many people were waiting arriving passengers. CNN could not independently verify these allegations.
A strong police presence kept outside of the airport after the explosion, and more than 10 ambulances left the scene with lights flashing and sirens blaring.
Domodedovo is 22 km (14 miles) south of Moscow. Under the airport site, is the largest of Moscow's three airports and the busiest in terms of passenger traffic.
It was not immediately clear who was responsible for Monday's blast, but previous terrorist attacks in Russia have been attributed to militants in the North Caucasus.
In 2004, two aircraft, which departed Domodedovo exploded, killing at least 89 people in an attack linked to Chechen suicide bombers.
Explosives express train derailed in November 2009, killing at least 26 people. Chechen rebels were to blame again.
In March last year were female suicide bombers linked to the group are accused of attacking subway stations in central Moscow during rush hour, killing about 38 people.
Golikova said Monday after an explosion and was similar to previous attacks.
"This (type of injury) is very similar terrorist acts we have seen recently, the types of injuries and the condition of injured and what they communicate -. All this is very typical of the kind of terrorist action situations, Unfortunately, she said.
Elina Bakhtin state television was the cafeteria at the airport, which is when the explosion occurred.
"The explosion must have been very strong, because our coffee is about 100 meters from the arrivals area. When we hear the explosion, the glass just started to fall from the roof," he said.
Papova Tatiana, who was waiting at passport control when the blast occurred, told state television that stopped working the stairs to the luggage hall and the airport staff began to break down walls to help people away from the area.
inbound flights scheduled to land at Domodedovo were diverted to other airports, Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo Moscow, Russian television said.
However, the airport spokeswoman Yelena Galanova told Russian state television the airport was "operating as usual."
An employee of the airport, Andrei Surkov, told CNN that although the international arrivals area has been closed, international passengers were directed to the domestic terminal is in the second airport.
Claudia Lange, a spokesman for Lufthansa airline has suspended all flights to Domodedovo so far.
The members of the international community immediately offered their condolences and condemned the violence.
President Barack Obama called the bombing a "premeditated attack against innocent civilians."
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said the UK authorities are "emergency contact with the Russian authorities to establish the facts and provide consular support to British nationals who have been affected."
According to initial reports of Russian researchers, two British citizens died in the explosion.
NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen has condemned the attack and called for closer cooperation in combating terrorism, while Germany, France and Israel, the leaders also offered their condolences.
Will Geddes, terrorism expert and CEO of International Corporate Protection Group, called the attack "a very significant attack in the fight against terrorism."