Egyptian authorities have detained two Sharm el-Sheikh Airport employees in connection with the downing of a Russian passenger plane in the Sinai Peninsula, Reuters news agency reported Tuesday, citing two anonymous security officials.
"Seventeen people are being held, two of them are suspected of helping whoever planted the bomb on the plane at Sharm al-Sheikh Airport," one official said, Reuters reported.
Egypt has not yet confirmed that the Russian plane was downed by a bomb.
Earlier on Tuesday, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said it was certain that the Kogalymavia Airbus A321 flight from Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg has been downed by a bomb.
“We will find the terrorists anywhere on earth and punish them,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said following the announcement.
The FSB has offered a $50 million reward for information related to the downing of the passenger plane over Egypt, The Associated Press reported Tuesday.
The Russian passenger plane crashed in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on Oct. 31, killing all 224 people on board.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
