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Putin Pledges to Intensify Airstrikes in Syria as Bomb Blamed for Russian Plane Crash

Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged on November 17 to intensify airstrikes in Syria after a Russian investigation into the crash of a Metrojet Airbus in the Sinai Peninsula on October 31 said a “self-made explosive device” was the cause. According to a transcript on the Kremlin website, Federal Security Service (FSB) director Alexander Bortnikov told Putin: “We can say with confidence that this was a terrorist act.”

Responding, Putin said Russia was pledged to “finding and punishing the perpetrators,” and said “enhanced” military action in Syria would “make it clear to the criminals that vengeance is inevitable.”

The passenger plane, operated by Russian airline Kogalymavia under the brand name Metrojet, was flying from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to St Petersburg. All 224 passengers and crew were killed.

As the results of the investigation were announced, the Cairo Post reported that two employees of Sharm el-Sheikh airport were held in suspicion of planting a bomb on the plane. However, the Ministry of Interior later denied the reports.

The FSB offered a $50 million reward for information on who downed the plane.

This footage shows Putin meeting with FSB director Alexander Bortnikov, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Foreign Intelligence Service director Mikhail Fradkov (to his left), Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, and Chief of Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov (to his right). Credit: YouTube/President of Russia