The Investigative Committee of Russia confirmed the death of more than 60 people in the Crocus City Hall concert hall as a result of terrorist shooting. The Ministry of Emergency Situations reduced the number of victims to 99. The FSB reported the detention of 11 people, including 4 terrorists who participated in the execution. Four of the six terrorists are citizens of Tajikistan.
According to preliminary data, the death toll as a result of the shooting at Crocus City Hall has increased to 62 people. Moreover, all premises in the building have not yet been inspected – the number of deaths may increase. Ten bodies of the dead were found, for example, in the toilet. They hid there when the shooting started and found themselves blocked. People called 112 and asked to be rescued because smoke began to enter the toilet.
6,200 people could have been in Crocus City Hall during the shooting; all tickets for the concert on March 22 were sold out. The musicians were not injured. On Friday evening, a concert of the rock group Picnic was supposed to take place at Crocus. It was reported that the band’s musicians were in the dressing room at that moment. However, the director of the group later said that he could not contact one of its members.
How reported Yesterday our publication, several armed people burst into Crocus City Hall near Moscow and opened fire with automatic weapons. The guards, judging by media reports, did not have weapons. They only had batons and stun guns. According to Mash, the metal detectors at the entrance were not working.
Unknown people with weapons opened fire on the spectators. At least two explosions occurred and a large-scale fire started, which led to the partial collapse of the building. Authorities called the incident a terrorist attack. writes euronews.
The first reports of the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall appeared at nine o’clock, writes “New newspaper Europe”. The shooting began right before the start of the concert, between the second and third bell. According to the publication’s interlocutor, from the concert hall they heard the sounds of machine gun fire in the foyer, after which the security guards decided to let people out of the hall through the stage. At the time of the shooting, people were handing over their coats. Eyewitnesses also suggest that they started shooting on the street. Some of those present in the hall tried to hide between the rows.
Those who could not get out hid in equipment rooms and toilets. According to the source of the SHOT telegram channel, many dead were found in these places. There are no wounds on the bodies of these people: many could have suffocated due to the smoke.
The SOBR unit stormed the building; security forces feared that it was mined. The Telegram channel “Caution, News” reported that Russian Guard officers pushed journalists and passers-by away from the building, making harsh arrests. Later, State Duma deputy Alexander Khinshtein wrote that the National Guard left the building “due to heavy smoke.” Observers concluded that the attackers were not found inside.
Eyewitnesses say that the terrorists opened fire at the very entrance to the building, and moving towards the hall, they shot people point-blank, continuing to kill spectators inside. A number of sources report that the terrorists had containers with fuel, which they spilled and set on fire. A large fire started. Several hundred people were trapped in the building, writes the 112 telegram channel. Fire on an area of 14,000 square meters. m. managed to be localized only after a few hours. The roof partially collapsed. Three fire helicopters tried to put it out. SOBR and OMON, more than 70 ambulance teams were sent to the scene of the emergency. Chronology of events:
Following the deadly attack, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced the cancellation of all public events planned in the capital this weekend. Enhanced security measures have been introduced in the city and region, especially at transport facilities. Universities are recommended to cancel in-person classes scheduled for Saturday or conduct them remotely. The Ministry of Emergency Situations has opened a hotline. Anyone who needs help and information is advised to call 8-800-775-17-17.
Based on the shooting, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case for an act of terrorism. The European Union condemned the “attack against civilians.” The White House expressed its condolences to the victims and their families.
Emmanuel Macron “strongly condemns the terrorist attack” and “expresses solidarity” with the Russian people. “He is closely monitoring the situation,” the Elysee Palace added.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her “strong and unequivocal condemnation of the heinous terrorist attack” committed in Moscow on Friday: “The horror of the mass murder of innocent civilians in Moscow is unacceptable,” she said in a brief statement, expressing “solidarity with the victims and their families “.
Spain was “appalled” by the attack and said it “condemns all forms of violence.” “Our solidarity goes out to the victims, their families and the Russian people,” the kingdom’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
A few days ago the USA warned about possible terrorist attacks in Moscow, the diplomatic mission called on its citizens in the country to avoid attending “large gatherings” over the next two days. Other recommendations from the embassy include “follow news in local media” and be “attentive to your surroundings.”
Similar information, citing the American embassy, was published by the British Foreign Office: “There is a high threat of terrorist attack throughout the world affecting the interests of the United Kingdom and British citizens, in particular from groups and individuals who view British citizens as targets. You must remain vigilant,” the British Foreign Office said.
The ministry also said that terrorist attacks could be indiscriminate and targeted in popular tourist spots, during seasonal, festive or religious events in public places, areas that are not controlled by security. Therefore, we urged you to avoid such places over the next few days to protect yourself.
As Bellingcat investigative journalist Hristo Grozev noted after the incident, Washington said that the attacks were being prepared by the Afghan group ISIS-K. Deputy Chairman of the UN Security Council Dmitry Medvedev admitted that the “Kiev regime” could be behind the attack.
In turn, the manager’s advisor office of the Ukrainian president Mikhail Podolyak said that “Ukraine definitely has nothing to do with the terrorist attack at Crocus.” The White House has “no indication that Ukraine or Ukrainians were involved” in the attack on the Moscow concert hall, said John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council. “I wouldn’t recommend linking this to Ukraine at this early stage,” he added.
The Russian Volunteer Corps, which fights on the side of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and regularly carries out attacks on the border areas of Russia, also denied its involvement. Later it became known that the ISIS group allegedly took responsibility for a terrorist attack in the Moscow region. True, no evidence was provided, so it is possible that this is a fake.
On March 7, the US Embassy in Moscow issued a warning about possible terrorist attacks at large venues in Moscow, including concert venues. US allies issued similar warnings. They assessed the likelihood of a terrorist attack as “imminent.” On March 19, Vladimir Putin spoke at the FSB board and said that reports from Western structures about possible terrorist attacks in Russia are a provocation: “All this resembles outright blackmail and the intention to intimidate and destabilize our society.”
“The director of the FSB reported to Putin about the detention of 11 people, including 4 terrorists who participated in the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall,” the Kremlin press service reports,” TASS writes.
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