Audience and actors of the Moscow 'Nord-Ost' musical were taken hostages on October 23 by a group of terrorists during the performance on the stage of the Moskovski Podshipnik ('Moscow Bearing') company Culture Palace (DK). The terrorist group was led by Movsar Barayev - a nephew of the prominent Chechen warlord Arbi Barayev killed by the Russian troops last year. Russian authorities ordered storming of the DK by the elite Alfa anti-terrorist unit. As a result of the attack 42 terrorists were killed, more than 90 of hostages died, and 751 hostage lives were saved. On the picture: an ambulance car arrives at the DK in the build-up of the anti-terrorist and medical force for the operation.

Audience and actors of the Moscow 'Nord-Ost' musical were taken hostages on October 23 by a group of terrorists during the performance on the stage of the Moskovski Podshipnik ('Moscow Bearing') company Culture Palace (DK). The terrorist group was led by Movsar Barayev - a nephew of the prominent Chechen warlord Arbi Barayev killed by the Russian troops last year. Russian authorities ordered storming of the DK by the elite Alfa anti-terrorist unit. As a result of the attack 42 terrorists were killed, more than 90 of hostages died, and 751 hostage lives were saved. On the picture: the front 'Nord-Ost' musical board damaged during the DK storming by the anti-terrorist units.

Audience and actors of the Moscow 'Nord-Ost' musical were taken hostages on October 23 by a group of terrorists during the performance on the stage of the Moskovski Podshipnik ('Moscow Bearing') company Culture Palace (DK). The terrorist group was led by Movsar Barayev - a nephew of the prominent Chechen warlord Arbi Barayev killed by the Russian troops last year. Russian authorities ordered storming of the DK by the elite Alfa anti-terrorist unit. As a result of the attack 42 terrorists were killed, more than 90 of hostages died, and 751 hostage lives were saved. On the picture: the front 'Nord-Ost' musical board damaged during the DK storming by the anti-terrorist units.

Audience and actors of the Moscow 'Nord-Ost' musical were taken hostages on October 23 by a group of terrorists during the performance on the stage of the Moskovski Podshipnik ('Moscow Bearing') company Culture Palace (DK). The terrorist group was led by Movsar Barayev - a nephew of the prominent Chechen warlord Arbi Barayev killed by the Russian troops last year. Russian authorities ordered storming of the DK by the elite Alfa anti-terrorist unit. As a result of the attack 42 terrorists were killed, more than 90 of hostages died, and 751 hostage lives were saved. On the picture: the front 'Nord-Ost' musical board damaged during the DK storming by the anti-terrorist units.

Audience and actors of the Moscow 'Nord-Ost' musical were taken hostages on October 23 by a group of terrorists during the performance on the stage of the Moskovski Podshipnik ('Moscow Bearing') company Culture Palace (DK). The terrorist group was led by Movsar Barayev - a nephew of the prominent Chechen warlord Arbi Barayev killed by the Russian troops last year. Russian authorities ordered storming of the DK by the elite Alfa anti-terrorist unit. As a result of the attack 42 terrorists were killed, more than 90 of hostages died, and 751 hostage lives were saved. On the picture: Russian spetznaz ('special force') officers cordon off the DK building after it has been stormed and hostages rescued.

On October 23 a group of Chechen terrorists seized the Dubrovka Theatrical Centre during the 'Nord-Ost' musical performance and took hosteges more than 800 people of audience and the musical cast. The terrorist group was headed by Movsar Barayev - a nephew of the prominent Chechen warlord Arbi Barayev, killed by the Russian troops in 2001. On the morning of October 26 Russian spetsnaz (special force) stormed the Theatrical Centre and freed the hostages, 42 terrorists and more than 90 hostages were killed during the operation. On the picture: a spetsnaz soldier in front of the 'Hord-Ost' board.

A pigeon walks across the wet Melnikov Street.