Terrifying scenes in the Russian capital after an armed attack on a concert venue on Friday night. The Russian news agency TASS reported that at least 40 people were killed and more than 100 were injured. The building where the attack took place was engulfed in flames with reports of people trapped inside.
According to the RIA news agency, the attackers “then threw a grenade or a bomb, which caused a fire.” In her statements, Maria Zakharova, representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, spoke of a terrorist attack.
“Persons with their features covered broke into the ground floor of Crocus City Hall and opened fire with automatic weapons,” Russian media reported. The maximum capacity of the fatal hall at Crocus is more than 9,500 people. It is estimated that as many as 6,200 people could have been inside the Crocus City Hall concert venue at the time of the attack. Meanwhile, Russian police have already made arrests of suspects.
Fears of dead children
Moscow’s children’s rights commissioner confirmed that minors were among the dead in today’s attack. Several children were also injured in the shooting at the concert hall, according to Russia’s Ria news agency, citing a Moscow official. An unnamed eyewitness said earlier that several children and teenagers were playing in a dance competition in the ballroom when the attack began. Their parents were also present.
The announcement of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its warm condolences to the relatives of the victims of the armed attack in Moscow.
“Shocked by the terrible images coming out of Moscow after the horrific attack on Crocus City Hall. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims to whom we express our deepest condolences,” the Greek Foreign Ministry said in a post.
Shocked by the terrible images coming from Moscow following the horrific attack at Crocus City Hall.
Our thoughts are with the families of the victims to whom we extend our heartfelt condolences.
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs (@GreeceMFA) March 22, 2024
Massacre in Moscow: “No evidence of Kiev involvement,” US says
The White House
The White House condemned the bloody attack at the concert venue in Moscow, calling it a “terrible” incident.
“The images are just horrific and difficult to watch,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
The spokesman also insisted that the US has no information about the attack, nor does it believe it is in any way connected to Ukraine.
We have no relationship, says Kiev
“Ukraine certainly has nothing to do with the shootings/explosions in (Moscow region, Russia). It doesn’t make any sense,” said adviser to the Ukrainian presidency Mykhailo Podoliak, agreeing with the Russians’ version of the terrorist act.
The Ukrainian adviser set his country’s line saying that “first of all, Ukraine has been fighting with the Russian army for more than two years. And everything in this war will be decided only on the battlefield. Only from the quantity of weapons and qualitative military decisions. Terrorist attacks do not solve any problems…”
To elaborate saying that “Secondly, Ukraine has never resorted to the use of terrorist methods. It’s always pointless. Contrasted, by the way, with Russia itself, which is using terrorist attacks in its current war against Ukraine and earlier in its history has attacked its own citizens to launch subsequent “counter-terrorist operations” against protesting ethnic groups. It is enough to recall the events on the Kashirskoye highway (Moscow) and Volgodonsk…”
Ukraine certainly has nothing to do with the shooting/explosions in the Crocus City Hall (Moscow Region, Russia). It makes no sense whatsoever.
First of all, Ukraine has been fighting with the Russian army for more than two years. And everything in this war will be decided only…
— Mykhailo Podolyak (@Podolyak_M) March 22, 2024
The reference to the US embassy warning
Mykhailo Podoliak closed his argument by saying that “Third, long before the events at Crocus City Hall, we had heard public warnings from foreign embassies stationed in Moscow about the possibility of such bloody excesses.”
In conclusion he stated that “There is not the slightest doubt that the events in the suburbs of Moscow will contribute to the sharp increase in military propaganda, the acceleration of militarization, the expanded mobilization and, ultimately, the escalation of the war. And also in justifying the blatant genocidal strikes against the civilian population of Ukraine…”.
The Freedom for Russia Legion, an anti-Kremlin paramilitary group of Russian fighters based in Ukraine that regularly carries out attacks in Russian border areas, also denied any involvement in the attack on a concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow.
“We underline that the Legion is not fighting Russian citizens,” the organization said, blaming “Putin’s terrorist regime for the preparation of this bloody provocation and its media coverage.”
Video from the moment of the armed attack
I “blame” it on the US
Through the representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, the Russian Federation announced that it is “already receiving condolence calls from all over the world” asking the international community to condemn the attack.
More specifically, he said that “The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has received phone calls from ordinary citizens from all over the world, who express their condolences in relation to the terrible tragedy at Crocus City Hall and express their strong condemnation of the bloody terrorist attack that is taking place before the eyes of all mankind.”
She closed her first post on Telegram by saying, “Now, as the Russian authorities have stated, all forces have been thrown into rescuing people. The entire world community is bound to condemn this heinous crime!”
Zakharova is turning against the White House
Continuing her posts on her official Telegram platform, the State Department spokeswoman stated that “The White House says it sees no indication that Ukraine or Ukrainians were involved in the terrorist attack in Moscow.”
He then asks, “On what basis do officials in Washington, in the midst of the tragedy, draw conclusions about the non-involvement of anyone? If the United States has or had reliable information on this matter, it should immediately hand it over to the Russian side. And if there is no such evidence, the White House has no right to grant pardons to anyone.”
“All those involved, as the Russian leadership has stated, will be identified by the competent authorities,” the spokeswoman said. The American embassy in Moscow had warned that a strike was imminent in Moscow from March 7, but without, as the Russian side states, providing more information.
Shocking images
The images are shocking as bodies can even be seen on the street, outside the building, while the evacuation operations, due to fear of spreading the attacks, are so extensive that even shopping centers in St. Petersburg have been evacuated.
See live image from outside the concert venue:
“All of them must be tracked down and ruthlessly killed as terrorists. Including officials of the state that committed such an atrocity,” said the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, taking a direct picture of Kiev.
“Terrorists of the Kiev regime must be identified and eliminated, including officials, if they are proven to be behind the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall concert venue in Moscow,” Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev told the channel of Telegram.
“If the terrorists of the Kiev regime are found to be responsible, it will be impossible to treat them and their ideologues differently. All of them must be tracked down and ruthlessly eliminated as terrorists. Including officials of the state that committed such an atrocity,” Medvedev wrote.
Referring to the families of the victims, he promises the extrajudicial executions of the terrorists
“To the families of those killed during the terrorist attack – sincere condolences, strength to all the loved ones of the victims. Terrorists understand only by terror reprisals,” he said and continued: “No trial or investigation will help if punches are not met with punches and terrorist execution deaths. This is the experience.”
If it is established that these are terrorists of the Kiev regime, it is impossible to come to terms with them and their ideological instigators otherwise. All of them must be found and killed mercilessly as terrorists. Among them the officials of the state that committed this atrocity. Death for death.”