On Friday night, a terrorist assault struck Moscow’s Crocus City concert hall and mall, with casualties exceeding 100, as reported by Russian outlet RT. The situation remains ongoing at press time.
The Russian FSB security service has confirmed a devastating toll from the attack, with at least 40 fatalities and over 100 wounded.
According to multiple reports in Russian media, the assault involved at least three gunmen clad in camouflage. Storming the venue, they unleashed a hail of gunfire, believed to be from automatic weapons, upon the concert hall’s audience. Additionally, reports suggest the terrorists detonated a grenade, igniting a blaze that engulfed the Crocus City complex.
The severity of the fire has prompted the Russian government to deploy a water-discharging helicopter in an effort to contain it, with preparations underway for additional aerial support, as reported by RIA Novosti.
Videos circulating on social media, shared by Russian news outlets including RT, Ria Novosti, and Sputnik, depict scenes of chaos and terror. Panicked concert attendees sought refuge under seats as gunfire echoed through the hall. The detonation of a grenade by one assailant compounded the chaos, fueling the ongoing fire.
According to reports from the Russian outlet Sputnik, individuals inside the concert hall took cover on the floor to evade the flames, remaining there for approximately 15-20 minutes before beginning to crawl to safety. Sputnik stated that over 100 people were successfully evacuated. However, the Russian Health Ministry’s deployment of more than 70 ambulances suggests a significant number of casualties.
As of the latest updates from RT, the terrorists are said to have barricaded themselves inside the burning building. Remarkably, they have not attempted to take hostages or issue any statements but are indiscriminately firing at individuals within the complex. The assailants remain at large within the premises at this time.
According to reports from RT, one suspect has been apprehended alive.
The Crocus City concert hall was hosting a performance by the progressive rock band Piknik on Friday. The band had previously been banned from Ukraine after performing in occupied Crimea, prompting a reciprocal ban from Ukraine. Despite this, the band members expressed indifference to sanctions or political ramifications, citing past blacklisting during the Soviet era.
Fortunately, Piknik had not yet begun their performance when the terrorists struck, and all band members are reported safe, according to multiple sources.
While Russian authorities have refrained from publicly attributing blame for the incident, some reports suggest that less than a week prior, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow had issued a warning indicating possible terrorist threats targeting concert venues in the near future. It remains uncertain whether this warning specifically mentioned Crocus City or similar venues.
Additionally, RIA Novosti reported shortly before the attack that Russian law enforcement had arrested seven individuals accused of plotting to establish an armed group to combat Russian forces in Ukraine. However, no links have been established between this arrest and the Crocus City attack as of now.
