Television channel NTV, October 30^th, 2002, 22:00

REPORTER: Today Russian health minister Yuri Shevchenko has answered one of the questions that have been bothering everyone lately.  The gas, which was used during the assault on the Dubrovka theatrical complex, is fentanyl, or more precisely, a product based on it.

MINISTER OF HEALTH OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION YURI SHEVCHENKO: Similar preparations are drugs that are capable of rapid anesthetic action.  They are widely used in medical practice and by themselves cannot lead to fatal outcomes.  The Russian special services are completely certain of this.

REPORTER: The head of the health ministry noted especially that fentanyl in itself is not poisonous, but that the deaths of the hostages are due to their extremely weak conditions; dehydration, fatigue, a lake of vision, and stress.  Also, international treaties do not forbid its use, and it is actively used by physicians for anesthesia.