On October 31, Metrojet Flight 9268 went down in flames on its route from Sharm Eli Sheikh, Egypt to St. Petersburg, Russia. The incident killed 224 people, most of whom were Russian tourists. Immediately following the crash, all affected parties quickly assumed their predictable stances on the disaster. Russia resisted the theory that a bomb brought down the airliner, Egypt (which is economically dependent on tourism) urged the international community to hold off speculation until a formal investigation could be completed, ISIS affiliates claimed responsibility for the catastrophe, and western intelligence communities dispatched their resources to discover what happened. Just yesterday, european investigators’ analyses of the plane’s black box, a GPS device used in emergency situations, show that the crash was no accident. As the media continues to acquire intelligence sources supporting the theory that the incident was, in fact, a terrorist attack, Russia will be forced to acknowledge the reasonable consequences of the finding.
Russia’s increased military intervention in Syria has almost certainly made them a priority for ISIL. If Putin continues his aggressive approach in the region, and if this disaster was indeed a deliberate attack, the attack on Metrojet Flight 9268 will be merely the first of many terrorist attempts to come. Since 9/11, the United States has been extremely diligent (and some contend excessive) in implementing stringent national security regulations for international travel. Considering Russia’s proximity to the Middle East and recent military action, President Vladimir Putin should seriously consider the scope and strength of its homeland security strategy. This is not necessarily to say that it has been inadequate, but simply that in light of ISIL’s increased hostility towards the country, more stringent precautions may be appropriate.
