Gunmen opened fire on attendees at Crocus City Hall on the outskirts of Moscow, killing over 60 people and wounding more than 145.
The attack, which occurred on Friday, left at least 60 of the injured in critical condition. This outbreak of violence happened just before the scheduled performance of the Soviet-era rock band “Picnic” at the fully booked 6,200-seat Crocus City Hall, west of Moscow.
Daesh, a militant group, has claimed responsibility for this act of terror, marking it as Russia’s most severe terrorist event since the 2004 Beslan school hostage crisis. During this tragedy, militants captured over 1,000 hostages. Witnesses described the chaos, with one recounting to Reuters the sound of gunfire followed by a panicked crowd rushing towards exits amid screams.
Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, is receiving continuous updates from his security team, including Alexander Bortnikov, the chief of the Federal Security Service (FSB). Investigators in Russia have shared images showing a Kalashnikov rifle, ammunition vests, and bags filled with used cartridge cases.
Daesh, in a statement, boasted about its operatives executing the assault on Moscow’s outskirts, claiming to inflict significant casualties before retreating safely. Moscow has not yet identified the attackers. The United States has corroborated Daesh’s claim of responsibility, according to an American official who also mentioned prior warnings to Russia about a potential assault.
The attack, occurring roughly 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the Kremlin, follows a recent alert from the US embassy in Russia about potential extremist actions in Moscow. The global community, including the US, European nations, Arab countries, and many post-Soviet states, has expressed dismay and condolences. Ukraine has explicitly denied any involvement. The United Nations Security Council has denounced the attack as both heinous and cowardly.
