Russian President Vladimir Putin was quoted as telling ministers today that separatists in Chechnya were key actors in international terrorism and he vowed to make no concessions to them.
Mr Putin, who cancelled a foreign trip in response to weekend suicide bombings in Moscow, said rebels "are not only linked with international terrorist organisations but have become an integral part of them, perhaps the most dangerous part.
"I stress once again that not a single government in the world will be pushed around by terrorists. Nor will Russia," Interfax reported him telling a Kremlin meeting.
"The first step in such a direction will mark the beginning of the collapse of the state and the number of victims will rise dozens, hundreds, thousands of times."
Security forces have linked Saturday's twin attacks at an open-air rock concert - carried out by women wired with explosives who killed 13 others - to Chechen rebels who have been fighting Russian rule in their southern region for a decade.
Mr Putin has repeatedly said Chechen separatists are funded by international terrorist groups, and Western states have toned down criticism of abuses by the Russian military in the region.
His plan for a political settlement to Chechen separatism, including October elections for a regional president, has been rejected by rebel groups. But all but the most extreme separatists denounce the use of suicide bombers