"Nord-Ost" is not only the name of the musical, but also the second name of the terrorist attack on Dubrovka in Moscow, which took place on October 23, 2002. The tragedy lasted from 23 to 26 October. Then a group of militants led by Movsar Barayev organized an armed seizure of spectators who came to Dubrovka to watch the musical "Nord-Ost". The militants had only one demand - to withdraw Russian troops from Chechnya.
Instructions
Step 1
The musical was staged in the building of the House of Culture of JSC "Moscow Bearing" on Dubrovka Street. On October 23, 2002, armed terrorists led by their leader Movsar Barayev broke into the building during a performance and took 916 people hostage. According to the investigation, the bandits were armed with firearms, explosive devices and other ammunition. The militants had one goal - to intimidate the population and influence the Russian authorities to make a decision on the withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of the Chechen Republic.
Step 2
When the terrorists broke into the building, many people thought it was part of the theatrical performance, but the actions of the "intruders" quickly made the audience question it. The militants immediately began to mine the entire building, announcing all those present as hostages. In the first minutes of the seizure, only a few actors and employees managed to leave the Theater Center. They fled through emergency exits and technical rooms, reporting the attack to the police (then still the police). The information quickly reached President Vladimir Putin. By order of the Supreme Commander, military equipment was sent to the building on Dubrovka.
Step 3
The whole next day - October 24 - negotiations were conducted with the terrorists. The insurgents' demand was unchanged: to immediately cease hostilities in Chechnya and withdraw Russian troops from there. Negotiations with the militants were conducted by State Duma deputy from the Chechen Republic Aslambek Aslakhanov and State Duma deputy from Russia Iosif Kobzon. English journalist Mark Franchetti, as well as two Red Cross doctors, also came to negotiations with the terrorists. Then, in a day, 39 hostages were released.
Step 4
All this time, the official Kremlin was silent. On October 25, negotiations with the militants continued. On that day, several children were removed from the building on Dubrovka. The terrorists showed favor by letting the famous pediatrician Leonid Roshal into the building. His mission was to provide the hostages with the necessary medicines and to provide them with first aid. On this day, the building on Dubrovka was surrounded not only by units of military equipment and the police, but also by the relatives of the hostages. On the evening of October 25, the militants announced that they were abandoning further negotiations.
Step 5
The Kremlin, led by President Putin, has remained silent so far. As it turns out later, the negotiations with the militants were a planned deferral of time, allowing special forces and the FSB to prepare for the assault on the building. On October 26, at about 6 o'clock in the morning, special forces began to storm the building. To prevent the theater center from being blown up by the actions of the militants, the soldiers of the special forces "Alpha" were forced to use nerve gas. The armed conflict between the terrorists and the special forces lasted no more than half an hour.
Step 6
Already at 6.30 am the same day, an official representative of the FSB of Russia announced that the building on Dubrovka was under the full control of the special services. As a result of this special operation, all the militants who were in the building were destroyed, and some of the hostages were released. The leader of the terrorists, Movsar Barayev, was also destroyed. Unfortunately, there were some civilian casualties: 130 hostages were killed then. However, this figure is not accurate. According to the public organization "Nord-Ost", not 130, but 174 people died that morning.