Meeting with representatives of the Mothers of Beslan Association of Victims of Terrorist Attacks

At the beginning of the meeting, the President stressed that it is taking place shortly before the 20^th anniversary of a great tragedy for the whole country and for the victims' families. The terrorist attack in Beslan claimed the lives of 334 people.

"We know full well that abroad they tried not only to justify this horrendous crime, but also provided various forms of assistance to the terrorists: moral, political, informational, financial and military," Vladimir Putin noted.

The President emphasized that this tragedy will forever remain an open wound in Russia's historical memory, while for the families, for those who lost their children, this wound will never heal and will bleed forever. Vladimir Putin once again expressed his deepest condolences.

The head of state also noted that these days, Russia pays tribute to FSB officers who covered the children with their bodies and to perished comrades from the Interior Ministry and the Emergencies Ministry.

Vladimir Putin noted that in previous years, a programme was elaborated and implemented to support the residents of Beslan, and this work will be continued.

The President stressed, "As for our adversaries and enemies, they don't give up on their attempts to destabilise our country. This is obvious. Just as we fought against terrorists in the past, we must now fight against those responsible for crimes in the Kursk Region, Donbass and Novorossiya. But just as we achieved our goals in the fight against terrorism, we will also prevail in the fight against neo-Nazism and punish the criminals. There can be no doubt about it."