Question: How and why did you take the decision to fly to Ingushetia? How is the situation developing now?
Vladimir Putin: The situation there is stable, and quite honestly there was no doubt that it would be. Another terrorist attack took place there, with quite serious consequences. It could not have changed the situation there and did not change it. And now not just in the country as whole, but in the Northern Caucasus there is no force which could change the situation. It is simply an attempt to demonstrate force and capabilities, to earn the money that is paid by sponsors, an attempt to destabilize the situation in the republic. The bandits do not like the fact that the leadership of the republic of Ingushetia has spent the last year and a half working to create normal conditions for people’s lives. Why did I go there? I went because the consequences for the republic itself, and this primarily concerns the losses among the leadership personnel of the republic law and order forces, are quite painful. I considered it my duty to support the President of the republic in this situation that is quite difficult for him. That is the first point.
Secondly, I needed to have a look and find out how these events took place at the location where they happened, and take a proper look at the results of the clashes. And I must say that they were certainly different from what I heard in Moscow earlier. That is why I am certain that this was the right decision. And when was it made? Immediately after the consequences of this bandit attack became clear. I want to stress once more: we will increase efforts in the Northern Caucasus up to the levels necessary to stabilise the situation permanently. We will also develop our military component there. This is why I made the decision to station a regiment of interior forces in Nazran – you already know about this. We will also strengthen divisions of the Defence Ministry.