The Investigative Committee reported on Saturday that more than 60 individuals perished in the assault on a Moscow concert hall by gunmen, surpassing the earlier estimate of 40 casualties as indicated by Russian news agencies.
“The bodies of the deceased are presently under examination. It is preliminarily determined that over 60 people perished in the terrorist attack. Unfortunately, the casualty count may escalate,” stated the Investigative Committee.
Assailants dressed in camouflage uniforms stormed the premises, initiating gunfire and deploying a grenade or incendiary device, witnessed by a journalist from the RIA Novosti news agency at the scene.
Flames swiftly engulfed the Crocus City concert hall in the Krasnogorsk suburb in the northern part of the Russian capital, known for its capacity to accommodate several thousand attendees and for hosting internationally renowned artists.
Authorities commenced a “terrorist” inquiry, with President Vladimir Putin receiving regular updates on the incident, as relayed by his spokesperson Dmitry Peskov to Russian news outlets.
Telegram news channels Baza and Mash, closely affiliated with security forces, broadcasted footage showing flames and thick black smoke emanating from the hall.
Additional images depicted two individuals navigating through the venue, with at least one person lying on the ground near the entrance. Concert-goers were seen seeking refuge behind seats or attempting to escape.
Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin described the concert, featuring the Russian rock band Piknik, as a “dreadful tragedy” and suspended all public events in the city for the weekend.
Security sources cited by Interfax news agency revealed that between two and five individuals, armed with automatic weapons and wearing tactical gear, initially targeted guards at the entrance before opening fire on the audience.
According to the RIA Novosti journalist, individuals inside the hall resorted to lying on the ground for protection against the gunfire for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
People began evacuating once the situation was deemed safe, as reported by the journalist.
Approximately 100 individuals managed to escape through the theatre’s basement, while others sought refuge on the roof, as per statements from the emergency services ministry via its Telegram channel.
However, approximately one-third of the complex was engulfed in flames, according to the TASS news agency.
Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova condemned the incident as a “bloody terrorist attack,” urging global condemnation of the “odious crime.”
While acknowledging the severity of the attack, the US presidency stated that there were no immediate indications linking it to the conflict in Ukraine.
Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev asserted on Telegram that if Ukraine’s top officials were implicated in the attack, they “must be found and ruthlessly destroyed as terrorists.”
Expressing condolences to the families of the victims, Moscow’s mayor initiated a substantial security operation around the theatre and nearby shopping mall.
Special police forces and anti-riot squads were dispatched to the Crocus hall, as reported by TASS, with all members of the rock band safely evacuated.
Orthodox church leader Patriarch Kirill’s spokesperson stated that the Patriarch was “praying for peace for the souls of the dead.”
Previous alerts had been issued by the US embassy in Russia regarding “extremists’ imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow,” including concerts.
Moscow has previously experienced attacks by Islamist groups, although incidents without clear political motives have also occurred.
In 2002, Chechen separatists seized 912 hostages at a Moscow theatre, resulting in a tragic outcome when security forces intervened, causing the deaths of 130 individuals.
Following Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine in February 2022, the country has faced attacks along its border by anti-Kremlin forces.
Both Ukraine’s presidency and the Freedom of Russia Legion, a group comprising fighters within Ukraine’s armed forces, denied any involvement in the concert hall assault.