Pete - you made a mistake :
This theatre was in Moscow (Dubrovka district). Spetsnaz couldn't use snipers to take out suicide bombers (female ones - Shahiidki or Black Widows), so they use gas. This gas wasn't killing, only made all in there but 123 hostages died (there was 690 ones) because medical staff was't properly deployed [had they recive oxygen just after the assault. they would be alive].
That school was in Bieslan.
And all the troops around were mostly army and police crowd - control units, not to mention armed citizens [hostages' families - all there has a gun not some semi - auto AR-15s but AKs, PKMs, RPGs etc] . Only small 40 - persons element form FSB was deployed.
10 died. Mosty when they tried to evacuate children (many of died had back wounds)
And right, Russians like "hard" (very hard) methods, but they have large experience, and many elements of their tactics is very useful
Regards
Robal2pl