Attackers Kill Three Tourists In Russian Resort Area

ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia — A group of camouflage-clad men claiming to be security forces killed three Russian tourists and wounded two others in a Caucasus region afflicted by rising insurgent violence, police said Saturday.

The tourists were attacked Friday night as a minivan was transferring them from a regional airport to the winter sports resort area of Baksan in the republic of Kabardino-Balkariya, according to regional police spokesman Maxim Ushanov. Baksan is near Mount Elbrus, Europe's highest mountain and a popular ski area.

Also Saturday, Russian news reports said an explosion heavily damaged a ski lift on one of the slopes of Elbrus. The reports cited local law enforcement officials, who could not be reached for confirmation.

There was no immediate public claim of responsibility for either attack. Russia's Caucasus provinces are plagued by violence attributed to both Islamic insurgents and criminal gangs. Attacks on police and other authorities occur almost daily.

The Russian government last month unveiled a $15 billion plan to build five major ski resorts in the Caucasus, aiming to address the poverty and high unemployment that feed violence in the region. Attacks on tourists and resort infrastructure could potentially deter foreign investment in the projects.

"Programs for the development of tourism in the Northern Caucasus will not be changed, despite the obvious intention of these terrorist acts," Alexander Radykov, deputy head of the Federal Tourism Agency, was quoted as telling the state news agency RIA-Novosti on Saturday.

The attacks also are likely to contribute to anxiety about security at the 2014 Winter Olympics, which are to be held in the Caucasus resort area of Sochi, about 250 kilometers (150 miles) west of the Elbrus area.

According to Ushanov, the tourists were riding in a van taking them to Baksan from the airport in Mineralnye Vody when the vehicle was stopped by men in camouflage and masks who said they were security officers. The men demanded the tourists leave the vehicle and opened fire when they refused, he said.

___

Associated Press writer Jim Heintz in Moscow contributed to this report.

Comments

[EveAngel]

11:43 PM on 02/21/2011

I visited Russia once, Moscow specifically. Beautiful place, lovely warm people. With that said, I would NEVER travel outside of the major cities...anyhow terrible news; I am saddened for these people; i know the feeling when something bad is about to happen to you. Fortunately I survived.

[caveniakoency]

05:24 AM on 02/20/2011

"Mount Elbrus, Europe's highest mountain"... seriously Huffington Post?

[netzwerg]

08:13 AM on 02/20/2011

Mt. Elbrus's highest peak is the highest mountain in the Caucasus, in Russia. While there are differing authorities on how the Caucasus are distributed between Europe and Asia, many sources agree that Elbrus is also the highest mountain in all of Europe.

[Crystal water]

01:22 PM on 02/19/2011

Russia at its best-mafia, corruption, killings, extortion-any more "Russian idealists" left?

[Shantee]

06:06 PM on 02/23/2011

I doubt it, which is unfortunate, considering they've contributed such a beautiful body of literature to the world. Having had some business dealings with Russians here in NY, they are the most ruthless bunch of immigrants I have ever encountered.

[kadene]

01:13 PM on 02/19/2011

Evidently these Eussians don't welcome visitors to their country. Too bad. I don't need to go.

[DemiCrat]

06:37 PM on 02/19/2011

I was in the area when I climbed Elbrus and found almost everybody to be incredibly friendly. The only exception were some of the real security forces at the checkpoints and the employees at the local airport that kindly added a $200 "surcharge" to load our gear onto the plane.

[hologuy]

07:37 PM on 02/19/2011

The killers were probably Islamists. They like keeping people impoverished.

[EveAngel]

11:44 PM on 02/21/2011

please pour gasoline on yourself and light a match.

[ZenCrusader]

12:34 PM on 02/19/2011

last place on Earth I'd choose for a vacation

[KIVPossum]

03:22 PM on 02/19/2011

Beautiful in that area of th worl

[Shantee]

06:09 PM on 02/23/2011

Halle Berry is beautiful too....but would you want a relationship with her. Beauty is just beauty.

[KIVPossum]

10:47 AM on 02/19/2011

Two hours out of Grozny..yeah, a great place to vacation

When we stayed in Krasnaya Polyana people constantly warned us to be wary.