The siege of Moscow's House of Culture theatre has ended with dozens of civilian casualties, but not the heavy toll the hostage-takers had promised. Russia averted a tragedy potentially far worse than the Bali bombings and told terrorists from the southern province of Chechnya that their separatist ambitions would not be tolerated.
Within hours of Russian special forces raiding the building, troops were pouring into Chechnya. It was a cycle that has been repeated after each bombing or killing on Russian soil that authorities have suspected of being the work of Chechen rebels.
The 50 heavily-armed men who took over the theatre four days ago held 700 people and threatened them with death unless Russia immediately withdrew its troops from Chechnya. They strapped explosives to their victims and trained guns on them. They used terror as a weapon to push a centuries-old cause.
Such methods have always been deplorable, but have become unpalatable since the World Trade Centre and Pentagon attacks. Using the lives of innocent civilians as a tool to win a campaign cannot be tolerated.
Russian officials believed their only choice was to use violence to bring an end to the difficult situation. All the hostage-takers were either killed or arrested. But the officials ignored - as they have throughout much of the Chechnya conflict - the option of negotiation. Russia's President Vladimir Putin maintains a hard line towards Chechnya and uses military force to suppress the demands of Chechens.
Human rights groups have extensively documented abuses against civilians committed by Russian soldiers.