Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. At least 93 people have been confirmed dead after a horrifying attack at Crocus City Hall in the city of Krasnogorsk, located in the Moscow region. The death toll is expected to rise further as authorities continue their investigations.
Among the victims, children are tragically counted among the casualties. Their lives were cut short in this senseless act of violence.
The Russian foreign ministry has unequivocally condemned the attack, labelling it a “terrorist attack.”
According to media reports, at least four assailants, clad in camouflage gear, participated in the attack. They struck in the north-west suburb of Krasnogorsk.
Crocus City Hall was on the brink of hosting a rock concert when the gunmen stormed the venue. They first targeted the foyer and then proceeded into the theatre itself.
According to BBC, More than 6,000 Russians had flocked to the Crocus City Hall retail and concert complex for a concert by the rock group Picnic.
One witness said the violence erupted minutes before the band were due to come on stage. Picnic’s band members themselves were unharmed.
Shockingly, the gunmen allegedly used a “flammable liquid” to set fire to the concert hall while people were still inside. The resulting inferno engulfed much of the building, and part of the roof collapsed.
An unverified statement online attributed the attack to the militant group Islamic State.
US officials informed CBS (the BBC’s partner service in the US) that they had obtained intelligence indicating IS’s intention to attack Russia. The White House had previously warned Russia about potential attacks targeting “large gatherings” in Moscow.
A senior Russian intelligence source acknowledged receiving the intelligence but described it as “general nature without any specifics.”
Meanwhile, the American embassy in Moscow had previously cautioned citizens to avoid large gatherings on March 7.
Russian state media reported that suspects linked to the Crocus City Hall shooting were attempting to cross into Ukraine.
Russia’s investigative committee detained four individuals near the border with Ukraine in the Bryansk region.
Despite these developments, Ukraine has vehemently denied any involvement in the attack.
Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said on Telegram, “Regardless of everything, for Ukraine, everything will be decided on the battlefield”.
Ukrainian military intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov suggested the attack was a “deliberate act of provocation by Putin’s special services”.
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