Damir Niazbayev,

student

I don't think it is safe enough, especially after the recent blast in the shopping center on Manezhnaya Square. I was very close to it myself just 30 minutes before the bomb went off. ..... But even without it,

you get so many daily reports of dozens of people being killed or injured. When I heard of the blast, I thought that from now on I will try to avoid masses of people in public places, especially with the elections coming up.

Valentina Makarova, pensioner

I wouldn't say it is that dangerous. After all, Moscow is heavily guarded. But you still have to be alert. With technology so advanced, if you want to set off an explosion you can easily pull it off. I was there [Manezh Square] just an hour before, and when I learned about it, I gave a sigh of relief and thanked God I left earlier. ... Before perestroika, Moscow was a safer place. We could walk in the city at any time of day without a worry.

Alexander Pavlov,

tax inspector

In all the time that I've lived here nothing ever happened to me. But generally speaking, safety standards in the city leave much to be desired and the recent explosion shows it. I have talked about it to my friends and we all came to the conclusion that Moscow today reminds us of New York in the depression. For us it may look safe enough, but perhaps for foreigners who come here it may seem a frightful place.

YEkaterina Skropot,

student

I think that Moscow is pretty safe to live in, although sometimes when walking on the streets I feel uneasy, especially if it's late and I try to look around. As for this bomb scare, you can never predict or secure yourself against it, it may happen anywhere anytime. I don't understand though those people [planting bombs]. If they want to get at someone in particular, it's always the ordinary people that suffer.

Oleg Potapov,

theater employee

Russia is at war now and the ripples of this conflict go as far as Moscow.

And on top of that, being a capital, it gets visitors from everywhere, including Chechnya and other Caucasian republics. When they are unhappy about something they get back at the expense of the locals. Ten years ago, I could walk out and nothing would ever happen to me. Now the city's crime is on the rise. And what do you expect, we live in a bandit state and it's only going to get worse.

Galina Shatikhina,

vendor at Paveletskaya railway station

It's not that safe to live in Moscow today, but it's not the worst of places either. When I learned about the blast, I was not afraid, but felt pity for us Russians. What worries me is that with so many people coming from everywhere, it's getting more dangerous to live here, there's more crime and we feel it. Many say that the bomb was an act of revenge from the Chechens. If someone doesn't like it here, stay at home.