Moscow, March 31 (DPA) The group responsible for Wednesday’s suicide bombings in the Russian semi-autonomous republic of Dagestan was also behind Monday’s terrorist attacks in Moscow’s subway, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said.

Wednesday’s attacks killed at least 12 people and Monday’s suicide bombings claimed 39 lives and wounded dozens of others.

“We believe that these attacks were aimed against Russia,” the Interfax news agency quoted him as saying. Putin noted that an attack on Moscow or an attack in Dagestan are both equally an attack upon Russia.

Putin ordered Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev to boost the police presence in the Northern Caucasus region following Wednesday’s attack.