A total of 700 kilograms of the explosive trotyl have been found near the Kremlin and Red Square but they pose no threat of explosion, the Moscow interior department said. Decayed explosive without detonating charge was found in the foundation of the Moskva hotel that had been recently pulled down. Explosive experts initially discovered four boxes with explosive but subsequently the number of boxes grew. Work was still underway to lift all the boxes.
The Moskva hotel was built by Soviet architect Shchesev who had designed the Lenin tomb. The hotel opened in December 1935. Many honorary guests invited by the Soviet government stayed at the Moskva. During the 1941-1945 Soviet-German war, when fascists came close to Moscow, the hotel and some other administrative buildings were mined. In the past few years, deputies of the State Duma (parliament's lower house) lived at the hotel. In July 2003, the Moskva was closed for reconstruction. The hotel's building has been completely pulled down. Construction work is underway. |