According to CNN, Russia has resisted making statements confirming reports of a terrorist attack because it could be seen as retaliation for its use of airstrikes in support of Syrian President Bashir al-Assad. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has taken responsibility for the attack, but authorities have not declared the terrorist group as the perpetrator yet.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that air traffic from Russia to Egypt is suspended until the cause of the Metrojet Flight 9268 crash is determined. US President Barack Obama and high-ranking US officials have said that they have received intelligence suggesting a bomb may have caused the crash.
President Obama told the media “I think there is a possibility that there was a bomb on board and were taking that very seriously.“
The plane, carrying numerous Russian nationals, crashed over the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt while en route from Sharm el-Sheikh to Moscow. According to a statement from Moscow, President “Putin has accepted the recommendations of the National Anti-Terrorist Committee to suspend flights with Egypt…the President has also instructed to provide assistance to Russian citizens to return from Egypt.“
The United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland have also suspended some flights to Egypt as a cautionary measure until the cause of the plane crash is confirmed by authorities.
According to CNN, Russia has resisted making statements confirming reports of a terrorist attack because it could be seen as retaliation for its use of airstrikes in support of Syrian President Bashir al-Assad. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has taken responsibility for the attack, but authorities have not declared the terrorist group as the perpetrator yet.