The death toll in Friday’s concert attack in Moscow has soared to at least 133, Russia’s top state investigation agency said Saturday, and authorities have arrested 11 suspects, four of whom were directly involved in the onslaught. It was announced that.
President Putin addressed a shocked nation on television Saturday, condemning the massacre as a “bloody, barbaric act of terrorism.” He declared Sunday, March 24th as his day of remembrance.
President Putin said extra security measures had been taken across the country following the deadliest attack in more than 20 years.
“All four direct perpetrators of the terrorist attack, all those who shot and killed them, have been found and detained,” Putin said. “They moved toward Ukraine in an attempt to hide, but preliminary data shows that a window was prepared for them to cross the state border from the Ukrainian side.”
Damage to the Crocus Town Hall concert venue near Moscow, Russia, after a fire was extinguished after a gunman attacked and killed at least 115 people. (Sefa Karacan/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Russia investigates concert hall shooting, explosion as terrorist attack
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) issued a statement on its social media channels claiming responsibility for the deadly attack, according to multiple news outlets, and the United States has information to support that claim. said. Russia’s Investigative Committee announced that it had opened a criminal investigation into the attack.
However, President Putin suggested that Ukraine may be involved in the bloodshed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy denied any involvement by his country.
The surprise attack began when gunmen in combat fatigues burst into Krasnogorsk’s Crocus Town Hall, where concertgoers had gathered to listen to the Russian band Picnic. Videos online showed gunmen opening fire, hitting protesters at point-blank range and setting off smoke grenades.
According to Russian media, the gunmen threw explosives into the concert hall during the attack, shaking the building and setting it on fire. People were evacuated, but some remained trapped in burning buildings, Russian media said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the nation in Moscow on March 23, 2024. (Mikhail Metzel/Pool/AFP via Getty Images))
The roof of the theater collapsed early Saturday morning as firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze for several hours. Russians laid flowers at the monument and lined up to donate blood.
President Putin said Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) and other law enforcement agencies were working to identify all terrorist support sites.
“These are the people who provided them with transportation, planned their escape routes from the scene of the crime, and prepared caches of weapons and ammunition,” Putin said.
“It is already clear that we face not only carefully and cynically planned terrorist attacks, but also systematic mass murder of peaceful and defenseless people. They were killing our people and trying to shoot us in the blanks – our children.”
Russian firefighters search through rubble after Moscow terror attack (Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations/Handout/Anadolu, via Getty Images)
The FSB said the attack was carefully planned.
“The weapons used by the terrorists had been stored in storage in advance,” the FSB said.
The FSB has pinned the blame on Ukraine, and the Russian Investigative Committee said it had arrested four suspects in the Bryansk region of western Russia, “not far from the border with Ukraine.”
A screenshot obtained by the Russian Investigative Committee shows a gun on the floor. (Russian Investigative Committee/Handout/Anadolu, via Getty Images)
Russia investigates concert hall shooting, explosion as terrorist attack
The state news agency TASS reported, citing Russia’s Federal Security Service, that they were planning to cross the border into Ukraine, where “there were contacts.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy denied Ukraine’s involvement before ISIS claimed responsibility.
“Ukraine certainly has nothing to do with the shooting and explosion at Crocus City Hall (Moscow region, Russia). It makes no sense at all,” he said on social media, adding in part, “There is no doubt whatsoever. ” he added. Events on the outskirts of Moscow will contribute to a sharp increase in military propaganda, accelerated militarization, increased mobilization and, ultimately, the spread of war. It would also justify outright genocidal attacks against Ukrainian civilians. ”
The attack came days after Russian President Vladimir Putin consolidated his grip on power with another electoral landslide. The attack was Russia’s deadliest in years and comes as fighting in Ukraine enters its third year.
On March 22, 2024, a large fire is seen above Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia. Several gunmen burst into a large concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons into the crowd.
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Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said Putin wished all the injured a speedy recovery and praised medical staff.
“We are together [Russian Health Minister] Mikhail A. [Murashko] “When I informed the president about the health status of the patients, he prayed for everyone’s recovery and complimented the doctors,” she told reporters.
Russian special forces are still conducting search operations. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has canceled all large events in the capital for the next two days, and many other regions of Russia have followed suit.
Fox News’ Brie Stimson, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
