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The explosion claimed at least 32 lives, including 12 children and 15 servicemen. About 150 people were wounded. A high explosive device went off by the side of a road leading to the cemetery as a group of people were heading there to lay wreaths at the graves of people killed during World War II.

The President ordered an inter-departmental investigation into the terrorist attack. The investigation group is headed by Nikolai Patrushev, the Director of the Federal Security Service.

In the head of state’s opinion, there is no doubt that the attack in Kaspiisk was a terrorist act. The President instructed Mr Patrushev to immediately fly to the scene of the crime and organise the investigation in close coordination with the Ministry of Defence, the Internal Affairs Ministry and the Prosecutor-General’s Office.

The meeting was attended by Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov, Federal Security Service Director Nikolai Patrushev, Internal Affairs Minister Boris Gryzlov, Chief of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff Anatoly Kvashnin and Naval Commander Vladimir Kuroyedov.

After the meeting Mr Putin had a telephone conversation with Chairman of the State Council of Dagestan Magomedali Magomedov. The head of the republic reported on the measures being taken to bring relief to the relatives and loved ones of the people who were killed in the terrorist act.