Metrojet plane brought down by bomb, Russian officials report

“We’re going to look for them everywhere, wherever they are hiding”.

“We will find the terrorists anywhere on earth and punish them”, Putin said.

– Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev says that the crash was possibly due to a terrorist attack.

Meanwhile, Egyptian authorities have detained two employees of Sharm el-Sheikh airport in connection with the crash.

On October 31, a Kogalymavia aircraft traveling from Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg crashed in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, killing all 224 people on board.

(Updates with more quotes, context) MOSCOW, Nov 17 (Reuters) – The Kremlin said for the first time on Tuesday that a bomb had ripped apart a Russian passenger jet over Egypt last month and promised to hunt down those responsible and intensify its air strikes on Islamist militants in Syria in response.

An Islamic State affiliate had claimed responsibility for the act of terror.

He said traces of a foreign-made explosive were found in the debris as well as on the belongings of those on board.

He said Russians would not dry their tears, but would nevertheless find and punish those responsible.

Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for bringing the Russian plane down in written statements, as well as video and audio messages posted on the internet following the crash.

“It (our campaign) must be intensified in such a way that the criminals understand that retribution is inevitable”, said Mr Putin.

He instructed the Defense Ministry and General Staff to present their suggestions on how Russia’s operation in Syria could be modified.

“They have to be addressed at industry level because no doubt the countries – U.S., Europe – I would think will make a few fairly stringent, draconian demands on the way aviation works with security”.

Russian Federation is offering $50 million for information that would lead to those responsible for planting a bomb on a plane that blew up over Egypt, killing 224 people.