Putin Responds to Terror

Having taken at least some lessons from U.S. politicians, Russian President Vladimir Putin says that his critics abroad are undermining his country's battle against terrorism. In a rare three-and-one-half hour meeting with foreign scholars and journalists, including TIME, Putin Monday claimed that "some circles" in the West were encouraging separatist movements in Chechnya and other parts of the troubled Caucasus region on Russia's southern borders in order to keep Russia weak and distracted. He accused unidentified politicians, security services and commentators in several countries, including the U.S., France, Germany and the U.K., of meddling in Russia's internal affairs. "Do these people have any conscience at all?" he said. "They should be ashamed."

Speaking in the aftermath of two weeks of terrorist attacks, including the hostage crisis in Beslan, that left a total of at least 450 dead, the president also announced tougher domestic security policies, particularly on Russia's borders, to emulate U.S. actions following the Sept. 11 attacks in New York and Washington.

The meeting with reporters in the presidential compound at Novo Ogarevo near Moscow, lasted until 12:30 a.m. Putin had kept out of public view during the crisis, emerging only after the bloody climax for a quick flight to Beslan to meet with survivors. During a ten-minute televised address to the nation last weekend, the normally impassive president had trouble containing his emotions.

Putin managed to relax during the meeting, and he even — offered his support for President George W. Bush's re-election. Asked about a recent poll that suggested seven percent of Russians wanted to see Bush elected, while 25 percent supported Kerry (the remainder were undecided or uninterested), Putin raised his eyebrows and said with a smile, "Yes, but some of the most influential Russians are among that seven percent."

All the same, a new U.S.-Russia chill seems to be in the offing. Responding to Putin's remarks, U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Wednesday that Washington doesn't talk to terrorists, but would continue its discussions with dissenting Chechen officials whether Moscow liked it or not. That brought an immediate rejoinder from Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who called Boucher's remarks "anti-Russian."

Meanwhile, Putin's government and its Chechen opponents have begun a strange bidding war. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) offered a reward of US $10.3 million to anyone who could help them capture Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov and his field commander Shamil Basaev, believed to be one of the architects of last week's school siege. A few hours later, Maskhadov's government-in-exile upped the ante by posting a US $20m reward for the capture of "the war criminal" Putin.

Russian officials are still wading through the rubble of the Breslan school for more clues to the identities of the hostage-takers. Prosecutor-General Vladimir Ustinov says authorities so far believe there were 32 hijackers, including two women, who hid in a forest near the school building the evening before. They drove to the school in three cars packed with weapons and explosives, Ustinov told Putin in a briefing carried on Russian TV.