Condolences from across the globe to Moscow following terror attack

World leaders have offered their condolences to Russia over the two explosions that rocked the Moscow Metro on Monday morning, leaving dozens of dead and injured.

US President Barack Obama called Dmitry Medvedev in order to personally offer his support and to express condolences over the loss of lives in this deadly blast. He described it as “an inhuman terrorist attack”.

The people of the United States are united with the people of Russia in the suppression of acts of extremism and terror, which show complete disrespect for human life, Obama said. He noted that the United States condemned terrorism. Obama said he has been praying and thinking about the families and friends of the dead. He wished for a swift recovery of the wounded.

Europe and NATO condemn Moscow blasts

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has condemned the Moscow terror attacks and reaffirmed his resolve to co-operate with Russia in fighting against terrorism, Interfax news agency reports.

“On NATO’s behalf I strongly condemn today’s terror attacks in Moscow. There can be no justification for such attacks on innocent people”, he said in a statement.

President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso and European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton have expressed their solidarity with Russia in fighting terrorism.

“People are entitled to feel safe in their everyday life. We cannot allow violence to prevail over freedom and democracy. The European Union is resolutely siding with the Russian authorities in the fight against all forms of terrorism,” Barroso said in a statement issued in Brussels on Monday.

Ashton expressed her grief over the deaths by extending the feelings of deep sympathy, condolences and support for the families of those killed, their loved ones and the Russian people.

EU President Herman Van Rompuy also expressed solidarity with Russia in fighting against terrorism.

“I am shocked by the terror attacks committed in the Moscow Metro this morning, which killed tens of innocent people and left many injured. I resolutely condemn these treacherous actions, for which there can be no justification,” Rompuy said.

Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, noted in a statement that he is “deeply distressed about the tragic loss of human lives in terrorist attacks at the Lubyanka and Park Kultury Metro stations in Moscow”.

“There cannot be any justification for terrorism. I strongly condemn this act of murder,” the statement reads.

“Terrorism kills randomly, but its ultimate target is our collective freedom and our values.” This is why, Jagland says in his statement, the attacks in Moscow today are “an attack against all of us.”

Mevlut Chavushoglu, chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, said he fully supports the Russian administration’s counter-terrorism efforts.

In a statement issued after the bombings in the Moscow Metro, Chavushoglu extended his condolences to the families of those who were killed in the bombings and expressed his solidarity with the victims.

And so has President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek.

“I totally condemn what has happened. On behalf of the European Parliament I would like to express our firm commitment in the fight against terrorism. Terrorism and the deliberate targeting of civilians can never be justified,” he said.

“You can never prove that you are right if you kill innocent, hard working people taking the Metro early in the morning and going to work”. He added that the European Parliament offers full support to the Russian authorities in their investigations and calls for those responsible to be brought to justice as soon as possible.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed his support for Russia. He described the acts of terrorism as “mean and disgusting” in a statement posted by the Elysee Palace.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has also expressed solidarity with Russia following the Moscow Metro explosions.

“France strongly condemns the acts of terror and expresses full solidarity with Russia, which has gone through this tragic ordeal,” Interfax news agency quoted him as saying.

“Everything must be done to try the organizers of the barbaric attacks in court,” he said.

Kouchner added he would express support for Russia in his meeting with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Canada on Monday evening. Canada will host a meeting of the G8 foreign ministers.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is currently on a visit to Ankara, joined Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan in denouncing the acts of violence that rocked the Russian capital Monday. They voiced their support for Russian counter-terrorism efforts. Erdogan said that no aims can be reached by terrorism and stated the necessity for a consolidation of international efforts in fighting terrorism. Turkey has always opposed and will oppose terrorism, he added.

The German Embassy in Moscow has condemned the attacks, saying there is no excuse for such actions. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has expressed his condolences and solidarity with the relatives of those killed and injured in the metro blasts.

Poland has voiced its support towards Russia in its attempts to eliminate terrorism, reads the letter sent by President Lech Kaczynski to his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev. He expresses his condolences to the victims’ families on behalf of all the Polish people and himself. Kaczynski strongly condemned the “barbaric actions” of the terrorists and added that these tragic events confirm the necessity of co-operation in the framework of a wide anti-terrorism coalition within the whole international community.

The Slovakian government has also condemned the terrible act of terror, and according to the government spokesperson, the republic’s authorities are preparing an official document with condolences to be sent to Russia.

Sofia “categorically condemns this cruel act, which cannot be justified by any religious, ethnic or other reasons,” reads the message sent by Bulgaria’s President Georgi Parvanov.

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia, Ivica Dacic, Croatia’s Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor, and India’s Foreign Minister Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna have also sent their condolences and expressions of solidarity to Russia.

“Attempt to bring chaos and panic” – Ingush leader

Condolences and expressions of solidarity toward the relatives of those killed and injured are streaming in from both Russia’s regions and from governments all over the world.

The President of Russia’s North Caucasian Republic of Ingushetia, Yunus-bek Yevkurov said the Ingush nation is anguished over the bloody events.

“Terrorists have once again attempted to bring chaos and panic into our peaceful life,” he said, as reported by Itar-Tass. Yevkurov outlined that people in Ingushetia have suffered “the consequences of attacks of terrorists” several times, which are being actively fought against by law enforcement agencies.

The most recent counter-terrorist operation, conducted in February, saw 14 militants killed.

The president of Ingushetia – which remains one of the most troubled regions in Russia – himself survived a suicide bomb attack last year.

Terrorism cannot be eradicated with persuasion – Chechen leader

The president of the North Caucasian Republic of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, has strongly condemned attacks on the Moscow Metro and called for the eradication of terrorists.

“Terrorism has once again challenged the state and society,” he said. “The masterminds and executors – whoever they are – are aiming at causing chaos and throwing Russia into the abyss of fear, distrust…”

This evil, he said, “does not choose its victims based on ethnicity, religion or race.”

“What matters to terrorists is bloodshed, to keep people under pressure, to paralyze the state machine," the Chechen president said. Kadyrov said the Chechen law enforcement agencies are ready to provide help to their Moscow colleagues in investigating the terrorist attacks.

The Chechen leader vowed that “we will be fighting against terrorists until they are totally destroyed”.

According to Kadyrov, “evil cannot be eradicated with persuasion.”

“This is why for the sake of saving civilian lives, terrorists must be isolated from society and, should they disobey, callously destroyed," he added.

“No excuse for terrorism”

Tbilisi has expressed hope that those who are behind the terrorist attacks will be apprehended and punished.

"There is no excuse for acts of terrorism,” Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze said, as quoted by Interfax agency. “All of Georgia sends its condolences to the families and friends of the people killed in the Moscow Metro."

"Hopefully, the terrorists will be captured and punished," he said.

According to Georgian media, a Russian citizen of Georgian origins, Iosif Gabaidze, was among the victims.

Following the news from the Russian capital, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko also sent his condolences to Dmitry Medvedev and the families and friends of the victims of the attack.

The President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovich has sent his condolences over the tragic events in the Moscow subway to his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev and the whole Russian nation, Itar-Tass report, citing the Ukrainian leader’s press service.

"The Ukrainian people have met the news about the explosions in the Moscow Metro, which resulted in a major loss of life, with a feeling of profound grief,” Yanukovich’s statement reads. “Our country shares your sorrow over the grave and irreparable losses."

Also, he expressed "heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and to the friendly Russian nation in general" on behalf of the Ukrainian nation.

The country’s parliamentary speaker, Vladimir Litvin said, "People's deputies of Ukraine share Russians' grief in connection with the tragic death of people as a result of the blasts in the Moscow Metro."

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said he "is deeply shocked” by the events.

"On behalf of Azerbaijan's people and on my own behalf, I present sincere condolences to relatives of the dead, all people of Russia. I wish the soonest recovery to the victims," the telegram notes.

A similar view has been expressed by the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, in a statement he sent to the Russian leader.

Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon in his condolence telegram referred to the events as “an inhumane act which proves again the necessity for our close co-operation in countering such disgusting activities as terrorism and extremism.”

Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat said Chisinau was shocked by the news of the “terrifying and cruel terrorist acts” that took the lives of dozens of people in Moscow. He said no one can remain indifferent on such occasions.

“No justification for organized explosions” – Baltic States express condolences

The Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian authorities have expressed their condolences to Russia over the explosions in the Moscow Metro on Monday morning.

“Please accept the deepest condolences from Estonia to the relatives and loved ones of those killed and injured in the Metro explosions,” Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said in a statement.

“The investigation must find out who is responsible for this misfortune. There can be no justification for organized explosions and the killing of innocent people,” the foreign minister said.

For his part, Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius extended his condolences to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Russian residents over the terror attacks in Moscow Metro.

“I would like to express my sincere condolences over today’s terrorist attacks, which killed and injured people. I am deeply shocked by this bloody terror attack against civilians,” the prime minister was quoted as saying in a letter by the Lithuanian government press office.

Latvian President Valdis Zatlers sent a letter to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev expressing his deepest condolences to the Russian people over the deaths in the explosions in the Moscow Metro and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.

And Latvia’s Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis and Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins sent a letter to Russia’s Prime Minister Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on behalf of the Latvian government expressing their deepest condolences to the relatives of those killed and to all Russian people.