Russia confirmed on Tuesday that a homemade bomb brought down a passenger plane more than two weeks ago. “We can say definitely that this was a terrorist act,” Alexander Bortnikov, the head of Russia’s security service, told the nation’s security council, according to multiple reports.
Bortnikov said an “improvised explosive device” detonated soon after takeoff from Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, brought down the passenger plane, killing all 224 people on board.
{mosads}The bomb had up to 1 kilogram, or 2.2 pounds, of TNT, Russians officials said. Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed retribution for the attack.
“We will find them anywhere on the planet and punish them,” Putin said during the Kremlin meeting broadcast on Tuesday, according to reports. A $50 million bounty was also announced.
U.S. and British authorities had strongly suggested that a bomb had brought down the Metrojet flight on Oct. 31. The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the downed plane.
The news comes as France pushes for an alliance with the U.S. and Russia to combat ISIS after last week’s deadly terrorist attacks in Paris.