
-- Catherine A. Fitzpatrick
Moscow authorities have evacuated more than 10,000 people from multiple shopping centers after bomb threats were made to Moscow's largest shopping center GUM and 9 Ashan stores, a popular chain, TASS reported.
Earlier, as we reported, a bomb threat was made to the presidential administration building at 4, Staraya Square.
Sergei Devyatov, the official representative of the Federal Protection Service (FTO), told TASS that the bomb threat at the presidential administration was "fake." He said that the caller's identity had already been established, and no bombs were found. The building was searched, but not evacuated, he said.
Meanwhile, there was mayhem at 9 supermarkets where evacuations were carried out and are still underway.
Several video footages indicate the announcement to evacuate was made over loudspeakers in both Russian and English and spoke only of "technical difficulties." (see at 21:54).
A boy who didn't take the announcements seriously is shown chanting "Panic, panic, bomb, bomb" and an older woman is chastising him and telling him to leave before he gets locked in.
An store called Mega Belaya Dacha (Mega White Cottage) and another one called Atrium were said to have received threats but later officials denied this, TASS reported.
The effect of the mass evacuation of the shopping centers -- and this may have been calculated -- was to make people forget that the government itself had been threatened in a phone call.
-- Catherine A. Fitzpatrick
-- Catherine A. Fitzpatrick
As we reported, bomb threats were also made in a call to the presidential administration at No. 4 Staraya Square.
-- Catherine A. Fitzpatrick
A worker in the building told Interfax that cars from various agencies are parked outside the building now, but employees remain working in the building.
-- Catherine A. Fitzpatrick