A suicide bomber carrying what appears to have been a bomb inside a briefcase detonated his device inside Domodedovo Airport Monday afternoon, killing as many as 31 and injuring an additional 170, according to early reports.  Nobody has taken responsibility for the attack on the largest metropolitan airport serving Moscow and authorities have not yet identified the individual responsible for carrying it out.  Chechen rebels have carried out terrorist attacks in Moscow in previous years.  Domodedovo Airport has been the target of one previous terrorist incident.  In 2004 suicide bombers blew up two planes there, killing 90 people.

Russia will be the site of 2018 World Cup and the President of FIFA is in St Petersburg currently to formally make the announcement.  Russia will also host the 2014 Winter Olympics, but events like today’s tragedy may cause many to question the wisdom of siting major international sporting events in Russia.  Russian President Dmitiry Medvedev has ordered increased security for Moscow’s other two international airports and has cancelled his own plans to fly to Switzerland tomorrow.