Russia Says 40 Dead, Over 100 Hurt In Moscow Concert Attack
A concert venue outside the Russian capital is being evacuated after a shooting in the building, according to state-run news services.
(Bloomberg) -- At least 40 people were killed and more than 100 wounded in an attack by gunmen Friday at a Moscow concert hall, where explosions also took place, according to Russian security services.
A terrorism investigation has been opened into the attack at Crocus City Hall, Russia’s Federal Security Service said, according to the Interfax news service.
President Vladimir Putin was told of the shooting within minutes of it starting and is being kept informed of developments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
The incident took place just days after Russia’s presidential election on Sunday in which Putin claimed an unprecedented 87% of the vote, with the war in Ukraine now in its third year. The death toll is the worst since twin suicide bombings in Moscow subway stations killed at least 40 in 2010.
The unidentified gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons at Crocus City Hall on the edge of the Russian capital and a fire started after an explosion, Interfax reported, citing emergency services.
A second explosion took place at the hall as people were being evacuated from the scene, the news service said, citing authorities.
At least three people in camouflage were involved in the shooting, state-run RIA Novosti said on Telegram, posting footage of the building ablaze.
Helicopters were deployed to help fight the fire that spread to some 12,900 square meters of the complex, according to the Russian Emergencies Ministry.
Nobody has yet claimed responsibility for the attack and the authorities haven’t accused anyone. Special forces units were sent to the scene to hunt for the attackers, the Rosgvardia national guard said.
The US embassy in Moscow issued a security alert March 7 warning of reports “that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts.” It urged US citizens to avoid such gatherings in the following 48 hours.
Russia has also faced other major terrorist attacks in the past including the seizure of a school in Beslan, North Ossetia, which led to more than 380 fatalities in 2004 and a hostage-taking in 2002 at the Nord-Ost theater in Moscow, in which 170 people died.
A suicide bombing by an Islamist extremist in the St. Petersburg subway killed 16 including the attacker in 2017.
Crocus City is a popular shopping mall and concert venue. Its concert hall has capacity for 6,200 people and a performance by the group Picnic was scheduled to take place at the time of the attack, according to local reports.
Video posted on social media showed people fleeing from the concert hall, some past the bodies of people who had been shot.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called for international condemnation of “this bloody terrorist attack,” in a message on Telegram.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said a “terrible tragedy” had happened. He ordered the cancellation of all weekend sporting and cultural events in the city.
Moscow regional Governor Andrey Vorobyov said on Telegram that more than 70 medical crews had been rushed to the concert hall to help people.
Moscow airports and railway stations tightened security measures, according to RIA Novosti.
(Updates with Putin in third paragraph, past attacks in fourth, 11th.)
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