Putin: Russia to get tough on terrorism

MOSCOW, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin Thursday promised to get tough on terrorism, responding to fears after a train attack killed 26 people last Friday.

Putin acknowledged that Russia faces a threat from internal terrorism, RIA Novosti reported.

The bombing that derailed a fast train provoked fears of a resurgence of terrorism in Moscow and other large cities. Russia was struck hard by terrorists in the 1990s and early 2000's, but since 2004, violence had been focused mainly on the North Caucasus region, the news agency said.

"We have done a lot to break the backbone of terrorism, but the threat has not yet been eliminated," the prime minister said during his annual question and answer session.

The attack on the Moscow-St. Petersburg high-speed train also injured approximately 100 passengers and crew.