Moscow: A stunned Russia, reeling from the deadly terrorist strike at a Beslan school which claimed over 300 innocent lives, half of them children, today (Sep 6, 2004) observed the first day of national mourning with flags flying at half-mast at Kremlin palaces, Parliament and all official buildings.

Russian President Vladimir Putin decreed an official two-day mourning from today as the toll in the country's worst ever hostage drama mounted to 335, including 156 children. Independent sources said the toll could climb to 400 as Channel One TV reported that 89 children were in serious condition.

Funerals continued in the grieving South Russian town of Belsan for the second day as bereaved families were preparing to bury 170 of the victims in hastily prepared graves.

Flags were flying at half-mast on the Kremlin palaces, Government House, Parliament and all the administrative buildings throughout the country while all entertainment programmes, including those aired on TV channels have been cancelled.

Nearly 377 of those who survived the three-day ordeal were admitted in local hospitals in North Ossetia of which 197 children are under-17, regional Deputy Health Ministry Teimuraz Revazov was quoted as saying by Interfax today.

Meanwhile, Russian television showed footage of an alleged hostage-taker.

"I swear by Allah, I want to live! I swear by Allah, I did not shoot children!" speaking in typical Chechen accent, the man, who was handcuffed and flanked by hooded commandoes, repeated in the pictures shown by State-run Rossia channel last night (Sep 5, 2004).