Camouflage-clad gunmen unleashed a deadly attack on concertgoers near Moscow, leaving at least 60 people dead and 145 others injured, Reuters reported. The assailants, linked to the Islamic State, targeted civilians with automatic weapons during a performance by the Soviet-era rock group “Piknik” at the 6,200-seat Crocus City Hall.
Videos captured the panic and violence as civilians were targeted by the gunmen. Some victims lay motionless in pools of blood as others tried to flee the scene. The death toll has surpassed 60, with around 145 people wounded, many in critical condition.
“Suddenly there were bangs behind us—shots. A burst of firing—I do not know what,” said one witness who requested anonymity.
The panic escalated into a stampede, with everyone rushing toward the escalators, screaming and running for safety.
Russian investigators confirmed that the death toll exceeded 60, making this the deadliest attack in the country since the 2004 Beslan school siege. During that event, Islamist militants took over 1,000 hostages, including hundreds of children.
Russian President Vladimir Putin received updates from security chiefs, including Alexander Bortnikov, the head of the Federal Security Service (FSB). Authorities published images of the attackers’ weaponry: a Kalashnikov automatic weapon, vests with multiple spare magazines, and bags of spent bullet casings.
The Islamic State, once a dominant force in Iraq and Syria, swiftly claimed responsibility for the attack. The group’s Amaq agency announced their involvement via Telegram. Russian media also circulated a grainy picture of two alleged attackers in a white car.
The outcome of the assailants remained uncertain as firefighters grappled with a large inferno and emergency crews evacuated numerous individuals while sections of the venue's roof collapsed.
Islamic State asserted that its militants launched an assault on the outskirts of Moscow, inflicting casualties and damage before retreating safely to their bases. However, no further specifics were provided in the statement.
According to a U.S. official, the United States possesses intelligence verifying Islamic State's assertion of carrying out the attack. The official stated that Washington had cautioned Moscow in recent weeks about the potential for such an assault.
"We appropriately alerted the Russians," the official remarked, speaking anonymously and refraining from disclosing additional information.
About the Crocus City Hall attack
The attack at Crocus City Hall, located approximately 20 km (12 miles) from the Kremlin, occurred just a fortnight after the U.S. embassy in Russia cautioned about potential extremist activities aiming to target Moscow.
Prior to the embassy's advisory, the FSB had announced the prevention of an attack on a synagogue in Moscow orchestrated by ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), a faction of the Islamic State operating in Afghanistan and seeking to establish a caliphate spanning across several countries.
President Putin altered the trajectory of the Syrian civil conflict when he intervened in 2015, backing President Bashar al-Assad in opposition to both rebel forces and the Islamic State.
Colin Clarke from the Soufan Center noted that ISIS-K has focused its attention on Russia for the past couple of years, frequently using propaganda to criticize Putin.
The Islamic State organization has claimed responsibility for numerous deadly attacks in regions such as the Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Europe, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka.
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, condemned the incident as a "violent terrorist attack" that demands global condemnation.
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the United States, along with European and Arab nations, expressed shock and extended their sympathies. Meanwhile, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak refuted any Ukrainian involvement.
The United Nations Security Council denounced the event as a "heinous and cowardly terrorist attack."
Russia Enhances Security
Russia bolstered security measures at airports, transportation hubs, and throughout the capital, which is home to more than 21 mn residents. All major public gatherings were called off nationwide.
Putin, recently re-elected for another six-year term, has dispatched numerous troops to Ukraine since 2022 and has repeatedly cautioned against various external forces, including Western nations, attempting to destabilize Russia.
The Kremlin stated that Putin was promptly briefed on the attack and is receiving regular updates.
"The president is continuously apprised of the unfolding situation and the countermeasures being undertaken by relevant agencies. The head of state has issued all necessary directives," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned.
At Crocus City Hall, flames erupted into the night sky, accompanied by billows of dark smoke, as emergency vehicles' blue lights flickered. Helicopters endeavored to extinguish the engulfing flames, with state news agency reporting that the venue's roof was collapsing.
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