2024-03-22 23:26:15
More than 60 people were killed Friday evening in an armed attack followed by a huge fire in a concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow, which was claimed by the jihadist group Islamic State (IS). A previous report given by the Russian security services (FSB) had reported 40 deaths.
Russian law enforcement officials said they were “searching” for the attackers and authorities warned that the death toll from the attack “may rise.”
IS, which has already targeted Russia several times, claimed on one of its Telegram accounts that its fighters “attacked a large gathering […] in the vicinity of the Russian capital, Moscow.
The jihadist organization claimed that its commando had then “returned to its base in complete safety”.
The spokesperson for Russian diplomacy, Maria Zakharova, had previously denounced a “bloody terrorist attack” and a “monstrous crime”. Ukraine quickly denied any responsibility, even blaming the Russian secret services.
According to the Minister of Health, Mikhail Mourashko, 115 people are hospitalized, including 5 children. Among these injured, 60 adults and 1 minor are in serious condition.
This assault, which Russian media began reporting around 8:15 p.m. in Moscow, was carried out by several armed individuals at Crocus City Hall, a concert hall located in Krasnogorsk, just outside the northwest exit of the Russian capital. .
According to Russian television, the roof of the building partly collapsed. No information was given as to the number of people potentially trapped inside.
He said he saw “terrible crowd movements” of spectators wanting to escape.
Putin informed
According to a journalist from the state news agency Ria Novosti, individuals in camouflage clothing burst into the concert hall before opening fire and throwing “a grenade or an incendiary bomb, which caused a fire “.
The flames spread to nearly 13,000 m2 of the building before the fire was contained, according to the emergency services. The fire was still raging through the night and water bombing helicopters were flying in the sky.
Vladimir Putin, who was informed “from the first minutes” of the attack, according to the Kremlin, wished a speedy recovery to the victims and thanked the doctors, following receiving reports from law enforcement officials and services rescue. He has not yet spoken publicly.
The Investigative Committee released a video showing investigators working in the lobby of the concert hall, where an automatic weapon and ammunition magazines can be seen.
The Telegram news channels Baza and Mash, known to be close to the police, have published videos showing at least two armed men advancing in the hall and others on which we can see corpses and groups of people rushing towards the exit.
Other images show spectators hiding behind seats or evacuating the concert hall.
According to the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, firefighters managed to evacuate around a hundred people who were in the basement of the room.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced the cancellation of all public events this weekend. The capital’s main museums and theaters have announced their closure.
Reinforced security measures have been put in place, according to Russian television, particularly in Moscow airports and other major cities in the country.
This attack occurred during a concert by Russian rock band Piknik.
“Terrible attack”
The White House said it was “in thoughts with the victims of the terrible attack”. French President Emmanuel Macron, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the Security Council and many other countries condemned the attack.
An adviser to the Ukrainian presidency, Mykhaïlo Podoliak, affirmed that Ukraine, which has been facing a Russian military offensive for two years, “has absolutely nothing to do” with the shooting.
A unit of Russian anti-Kremlin fighters behind several armed incursions on the Russian border in recent months, the Russian Freedom Legion, has also denied any involvement.
Ukrainian military intelligence, for its part, accused “Russian special services” of being behind the attack in Moscow in order to “accuse Ukraine and provoke” the escalation and expand “its assault once morest his neighbor.
The US Embassy in Russia warned its citizens two weeks ago that it was “closely monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, including concerts.”
“If the United States has or had reliable data on this matter, it must immediately transmit it to the Russian side,” Maria Zakharova said.
Russia has been the target of numerous attacks in the past by Islamist groups.
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