"It's very hard and bitter to speak. A terrible tragedy occurred in Russia. All these days every one of us deeply suffered and bore in the hearts what was happening in the Russian city of Beslan, where we saw not just killers, but those who used weapons against the unprotected children.
And now, first of all, I turn with the words of support and empathy to people, who lost the most valuable in their lives - children and relatives.
I ask everyone to remember always those, who were killed by terrorists in the course of the last days.
As I've been repeatedly saying we have encountered many crises, revolts and terrorist attacks. However, the recent tragic events was an inhuman and unprecedented in its cruelty crime of terrorists. It was not a challenge against the President, Parliament or the government. This was a challenge against Russia and our nation as a whole. This was an attack against our country," the President noted.
"We are not dealing here with separate actions of intimidation and terrorist attacks. We are dealing with the direct intervention of international terrorism into Russia.
What we see is a total, cruel and full-scale war, which takes away lives of our compatriots.
The world experience shows that such wars are unfortunately lengthy. Under such conditions we cannot continue to lead an incautious life as before.
We must create more effective security system and to demand from our law-enforcement structures actions, which would be adequate to the level and scale of the new threats.
The most important thing is the mobilization of the nation in the face of the common danger.
We are all now experiencing together difficult and mournful hours. I want to thank all, who displayed self-control and civil responsibility.
We will always be stronger than they are - in our morals, courage and human solidarity. I have once again seen it last night.
In Beslan - the city which is now soaked with grief and pain, people were taking care and supported each other.
They were never afraid to risk their lives for the sake of lives and peace of others.
Even under the most inhuman conditions they remained humans.
It's impossible to put up with the pain of losses, but the tragedy brought us closer to each other and made us reappraise many things.
We have to be together today. This is the only way to defeat the enemy," Vladimir Putin said.
