Putin denounces Volgograd attacks

Russian President Vladimir Putin has made an unannounced visit to the southern city of Volgograd to pay tribute to victims of two recent bombings, calling the attacks an “abomination.”

Putin arrived early on Wednesday to Volgograd where he laid flowers at one of the bomb sites and exchanged sympathies with survivors at a hospital in the city.

“The abomination of the crime that was committed here in Volgograd needs no extra commentary,” said Putin, adding, “No matter how the criminals may justify their actions, there is no justification for crimes committed against civilians, especially against women and children.”

The bombings at the main train station on Sunday and on a trolley bus on Monday killed 34 people and wounded many others, 65 of whom are still being treated at hospitals.

In his first comments on the attacks on Tuesday, Putin said the explosions represented inhumane attacks and warned that Moscow would “fiercely and consistently continue the fight against terrorists until their complete annihilation.”

Head of Russian federal Investigative Committee said the signature of the two blasts suggest they were planned by the same group.

According to Investigative Committee spokesman, Vladimir Markin, the identical makeup of the explosives “confirms the theory that the two attacks are linked. It is possible that they were prepared in the same place.”

There have been no claims of responsibility for the blasts, which came ahead of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games, scheduled to be held in February.

In the wake of the attacks, Putin has ordered security to be tightened across the nation as well as extra police deployed on the streets of Volgograd.