In the period from September 4 to 16, 1999, a series of terrorist attacks occurred in Moscow, Buinaksk, and Volgodonsk. As a result of the apartment building explosions, 307 people died, and more than 1,700 were injured to varying degrees of severity. According to the official version and the verdicts of the Russian judicial authorities, the attacks were organized and financed by the leaders of the 'Caucasus' Islamic Institute, Emir al-Khattab and Abu Umar. The attacks were carried out by groups of North Caucasian militants hired by them. At the same time, a version regarding the involvement of the Russian special services, primarily the FSB, gained popularity among the Russian and world public. Who blew up the houses in Russia in '99? Members of the 'Public Commission for the Investigation of the Circumstances of the Apartment Bombings in the Cities of Moscow and Volgodonsk and the Conduct of Exercises in the City of Ryazan in September 1999'—Sergei Kovalev, Valentin Gefter, and Lev Levinson—seek the answer 18 years later.

Host: Vladimir Kara-Murza Sr.

Vladimir Kara-Murza Sr.: 18 years ago—between September 4 and 16, 1999—a series of terrorist attacks occurred in Moscow, Buinaksk, and Volgodonsk. As a result of the apartment building explosions, 307 people died, and more than 1,700 were injured. Who blew up the houses in Russia in 1999? Today we are discussing this with human rights activist and Russia's first ombudsman, Sergei Kovalev. Sergei Adamovich, did you believe for even a minute in the 'Chechen trace' of these explosions?

Sergei Kovalev: I think the 'Chechen trace' was quite skillfully provoked. Actually, 'fall guys' were imprisoned for these explosions. In reality, none of those who could have been the organizers were found, and in my opinion, they didn't try very hard to find them. I am well acquainted with the circumstances of the last, failed explosion—this is Ryazan, Novoselov Street, building 16. The first version was a prevented explosion, thanks to the vigilance of the residents, primarily Kartofelnikov, who noticed a car in the yard; this car had paper license plates.

Vladimir Kara-Murza Sr.: Transit plates.

Sergei Kovalev: Yes. And from there, two men (there was also a woman with them, but she didn't carry bags) carried bags into the basement of the building. Kartofelnikov raised a fuss. Later, we spoke with a police officer who said he was the first to be in the basement. Well, they called the police—and he went. He went with the full conviction that fear has big eyes, that someone had imagined something, who knows what someone was carrying. And he said: 'When I entered and saw the wires and the clock mechanism, I jumped out of there like I'd been scalded.' And then the building was cordoned off. It must be said that when we were in Ryazan, the ill-will and competition between the FSB and the police were very noticeable. The head of the police department invited an officer from another department... The district officer who was supposed to be in this building was sick at the time, and later he died. He was ill then, and he was replaced by a lieutenant from another police department. And this replacement initially didn't want to talk to us. He was recommended and summoned by the head of the police department, but not the one where this lieutenant served. And he said: 'He was the first person who went down into the basement.'

The lieutenant made excuses and said that we should contact the information service; he didn't have authorization to talk to us. I suggested this to him: 'Let's agree, we will ask questions. Answer the ones you want to answer. And if you don't want to answer some questions, just say "I won't talk about that."' The police lieutenant went along with it. And I must say, I'm a little ashamed. He told us what we asked him about. Only once did he say: 'I won't answer this question.' I asked him: 'You saw the clock mechanism and reported it to your superiors. Were you present when those bags were removed?'—'Yes, of course.'—'And what was in there? In your opinion, was it really sugar?' He thought and said: 'I won't answer that question.'

After all, the residents were evacuated. They stood on the street. True, they were later taken somewhere and given tea. They spent the night away from home. So, when those bags were being carried out and loaded onto some transport, there was a single elderly woman among the residents whom Kartofelnikov, the hero of the discovery, hadn't persuaded not to talk to us. She was a bit shy, but she also wanted to get to the bottom of this. And she said: 'I did a very stupid thing. When they were pulling out the bags, something spilled out of them. There was a trail leading to the car where they were being loaded.' 'And I,' she said, 'was surprised because it didn't look like sugar at all. And I regret that I didn't pick up a little bit—it was interesting to see what it was.' She said: 'It was some kind of gray powder.' As I understand it, it was aluminum powder. She said: 'No, no, it's not aluminum. It can't be aluminum. Aluminum shines.' In fact, aluminum oxidizes in the air. Shaved aluminum doesn't shine at all. And aluminum is one of the common fillers for explosive devices.