UN chief appalled by bombings in Russia

United Nations, Dec 31: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon is appalled by the twin bombings that struck Russia’s Volgograd city, which left dozens of people dead, a UN spokesperson said on Monday.

At least 10 people were killed and 10 more injured early Monday when a bomb went off in a trolleybus in Volgograd. The attack came a day after a woman suicide bomber blew herself up at a railway station in the city, killing 17 people and injuring 45.

The secretary-general, in a statement issued Sunday, condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist bombing at a train station in Volgograd, Russian Federation that day, reported Xinhua citing Ban’s spokesperson Martin Nesirky recalling at a daily news briefing.

Ban is equally appalled by Monday’s attack in Volgograd, and has expressed his condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in the Volgograd attacks in the last two days, he added.

In a telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin earlier Monday, Ban stressed the importance of strong international cooperation to fight terrorism and noted that the perpetrators must be brought to justice.

Putin called for the international community to work together in the fight against terrorism and commended the UN for its important role in coordinating efforts in fighting organised crime and terrorism.