Honored sirs! 

The presidential elections are a time of summation and receiving the previous regime's report on its actions.  One can find anyone in Russia for whom the preceding period was more tragic than for us — we lost our loved ones in the apartmeent blasts in 1999, and during the seizure of the Dubrovka theater in 2002. Therefore we appeal to you — include in your election promises an investigation into these acts of terror.

In vain we attempted to obtain from the regime intelligible explanations regarding well-known facts, which attest to the government's responsibility in the apartment blasts and the loss of the 'Nord-Ost' hostages.  We are certain, despite the media's embargo on the subject, the subject worries not just us, but a majority of the Russian people, since it casts doubt on the legitimacy of the regime and the grounds for having confidence in it.

 The present leader of the Russian Federation was obligated to answer us, not simply because it was his job, but as a matter of conscience — the loss of our loved ones has a direct relationship with his political career and his decisions: it was specifically because of the apartment blasts that people supported his hard line during the past presidential elections, and he personally gave the order authorizing the use of gas on Dubrovka.

 Today we repeat our questions.  On the explosions of the houses:

 1. Why did the regime forbid an investigation into the events at Ryazan, where the officers of the FSB were caught in the act of preparing an apartment building for demolition?

 2. Why did the speaker of the parliament, Gennady Seleznev, discuss the explosion of an apartment building in Volgodonsk three days before it actually occurred?

 3.  Why was there no investigation of the hexogen explosives found in bags labeled 'sugar' at a military base in Ryazan in the fall of 1999?

 4. Why was an investigation into the transfer of this hexogen from military warehouses to fake businesses run by the Scientific Research Institute 'Roskonversvzryzvtsentr' closed under pressure from the FSB?

 On Dubrovka:

 5. Why was it decided to begin the assault using gas made at the very moment when there were real chances of hostages being released?

 6. Did the authorities know that there would be no explosion, and therefore used a slow-acting substance, which could have led to the explosive devices being set off?

 7. Why were all terrorists, including those in a helpless state, destroyed and not arrested in order to conduct an investigation?

 8. Why did the regime hide the existence of a terrorists who took part in the seizure of the theater, Khanpash Terkibayev, who proved to be an agent of the FSB, and who, after his name became known, died in a car wreck?

 9. Why did they not organize medical assistance to the hostages before conducting the special operation, which led to the loss of 130 persons?

 For us these elections are possibly the last chance to obtain the truth. We challenge the presidential aspirants to raise these questions in the course of their primaries.  We want to hear, as each of you begin your election campaign, that there will be a real, independent, and unprejudiced investigation, or the conspiracy of silence surrounding the loss of our loved ones will continue forever.

Tatiana and Alena Morozova, who lost their mother on Guryanov Street

Svetlana Gubareva, who lost her daughter at Dubrovka

Pavel Finogenov, who lost his brother at Dubrovka,

Lyubov Burban, who lost her son at Dubrovka