The government said the disabling gas, used in the attack to retake the Moscow theater held by Chechen rebels, contained synthetic opiates. The government would not reveal any more, as that would make it easier for someone to develop countermeasures and antidotes for the gas. While most major nations have signed a treaty to drop chemical warfare programs, such disabling gases are still legal for police work.
In Chechnya, troops killed at least 30 rebels in several operations.