Moscow attack: Over 115 people were killed and 145 wounded when camouflage-clad men armed with automatic weapons opened fire on concertgoers at the Crocus City Hall in Russia. According to Russian state-owned media, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been informed that authorities have detained 11 suspects following the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall on Friday, which has resulted in the confirmed death toll rising to at least 115.
The Russian Investigative Committee released a statement on Saturday morning confirming the death toll of 93 people. Additionally, reports suggest that 107 individuals have been hospitalized, with many in critical condition, as described by Russian media. The Ministry of Health has further indicated that among those hospitalized, five children are included.
According to Russian news agency RIA Novosti, citing the Ministry of Health, three children were among the more than 60 people killed in yesterday’s attack at Crocus City Hall.
Authorities have cautioned that the death toll related to the tragic incident could rise as the investigation progresses. The recent terror attack in Moscow, the deadliest in over a decade, has shattered the perceived sense of security that Vladimir Putin had meticulously cultivated since the invasion of Ukraine over two years ago.
Armed with automatic weapons and explosives, a group of assailants stormed into a concert hall located on the outskirts of the Russian capital on Friday evening. The attack took place during a performance by the popular Picnic rock group, resulting in the deaths of at least 40 individuals and injuring over 140 others. Following an explosion, a massive fire erupted, causing a partial collapse of the roof at the expansive Crocus City Hall venue. The suspects managed to escape in a vehicle, prompting a widespread manhunt, as reported by the RIA state news agency.
According to the Associated Press, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack in a Telegram channel, although this assertion could not be independently verified. Earlier this month, Russia’s Federal Security Service reported that it had thwarted an assault on a Moscow synagogue by what it described as an Afghan branch of the Islamic State, as per Interfax.
Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed condolences to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday following a deadly shooting at a concert hall near Moscow. Xi stated that China opposes all forms of terrorism and strongly condemns terrorist attacks.
According to CCTV state television, Xi affirmed China’s firm support for the Russian government’s endeavors to uphold national security and stability. The recent shooting incidents at Moscow’s Crocus City Hall mark the latest in a series of deadly terrorist attacks in Russia dating back to the early 2000s.
In 2004, militants, primarily from Chechnya, seized a school in Beslan, resulting in a tragic hostage crisis. The demand was for Russia to withdraw from Chechnya. The siege ended in a violent storming of the school gymnasium, leading to the deaths of 334 individuals, including many children. Criticism ensued over the handling of the rescue operation.
In 2002, Chechen separatists targeted the Dubrovka Theater in Moscow, taking over 700 people hostage. Russian forces intervened using gas, resulting in the deaths of 129 hostages. The attackers were killed during the operation.
More recently, in 2017, a suicide bomber from Kyrgyzstan carried out an attack on the St. Petersburg subway, claiming 15 lives in addition to his own. Similarly, in 2013, two bombers orchestrated attacks on a railway station and a trolleybus in Volgograd, resulting in a combined death toll of 34 people.
France, the U.K. and Germany were among those who expressed their condolences to the victims of the attack. “The images of the terrible attack on innocent people in Crocus City Hall near #Moscow are horrific,” Germany’s Foreign Office said on X. “The background must be investigated quickly. Our deepest condolences with the families of the victims.”
“We condemn the terrorist attack in the Crocus City Hall near Moscow,” the U.K.’s embassy in Russia said. “This is a terrible tragedy.”
Meanwhile, France’s foreign ministry called for “full light” to be shed on “these heinous acts.”
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