Russia said it had arrested 11 people, including four gunmen, in connection with the attack at a Moscow concert hall claimed by the Islamic State. The death toll has gone up to 115.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had not made a public statement about the attack yet, and Moscow had not addressed the Islamic State’s claim of responsibility. Some lawmakers suggested a possible Ukraine connection.
Gunmen in camouflage opened fire at the crowded Crocus City Hall in Moscow’s northern suburb of Krasnogorsk on Friday evening before a concert by Soviet-era rock band Piknik. This is the deadliest attack in Russia for at least ten years.
Russia’s FSB security service mentioned that some of the attackers had fled towards the Russia-Ukraine border, and stated that the assailants had “appropriate contacts” in Ukraine.
No further details were provided.
Some Russian lawmakers also mentioned Kyiv as a possible link, but did not provide evidence.
Senior Russian MP Andrey Kartapolov commented, “The main interested party could most likely be Ukraine and its patrons … we can’t rule it out.”
A statement by presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak on Telegram clarified that Ukraine, which has been facing a Russian military offensive for the past two years, had “nothing to do” with the attack.
The Kremlin stated that the head of the FSB security service had informed President Vladimir Putin about the arrests, while authorities warned that the number of fatalities was expected to keep increasing, with over 100 still in the hospital and a search of the burnt-out venue ongoing.
“FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov reported to the president on the detention of 11 people, including four terrorists involved in the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall,” it said.
Putin himself has not made any public remarks or been seen in public in the more than 12 hours since the attack.
The Kremlin said he was being kept constantly informed, and a government official stated that he had expressed his hopes for the victims' speedy recovery.
– At least 115 killed –
Russia’s Investigative Committee, which investigates major crimes, mentioned that rescue workers were still on site, retrieving bodies from the building.
“The emergency services have found more bodies while removing the rubble. The death toll now stands at 115 people,” it said in a statement on Telegram.
The number of fatalities was likely to increase further, as the governor of the Moscow region mentioned that rescuers would continue to search the site for “several days.”
Investigators mentioned that people died from both gunshot wounds and smoke inhalation after a fire engulfed the 6,000-seater venue.
“The terrorists used a flammable liquid to set fire to the concert hall’s premises, where spectators were located, including wounded,” the Investigative Committee said.
Flames had quickly spread through the venue on Friday after reports of the mass shooting, with screaming concert-goers rushing to emergency exits.
Some filmed the gunmen from the upper floors as they appeared to systematically walk through the stalls shooting people, footage shared on social media showed.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility on Friday, saying its fighters attacked “a large gathering” on Moscow’s outskirts and “retreated to their bases safely”.
– There has been widespread criticism worldwide –
Russian authorities have described it as a “terrorist attack”, but have not given their opinion on the Islamic State’s assertion.
As of Saturday morning, 107 individuals were still in the hospital, according to Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry.
Russian Telegram channels, such as Baza closely linked to the security services, and a legislator mentioned that some of the suspects came from the central Asian nation of Tajikistan.
Tajikistan’s foreign affairs ministry stated in a message that they had not been informed by Moscow about the involvement of its citizens.
In Moscow, people stood in long lines in the rain on Saturday morning to donate blood, as shown in videos posted by state media outlets.
According to the RIA Novosti state agency, memorial posters with a single candle replaced advertising billboards at some bus stops in Moscow.
Various significant events were cancelled nationwide, including a friendly football match between Russia and Paraguay scheduled to be held in Moscow on Monday.
World leaders continued to express their disapproval through statements.
On Saturday, a representative from Afghanistan’s foreign ministry stated that the Taliban “strongly condemns the recent terrorist attack in Moscow, Russia … and regards it as a clear violation of all human standards.”
– US caution disregarded –
There is also attention on Russia’s influential intelligence services following the attack.
Just three days earlier, Putin had publically dismissed Western alerts of an impending attack in Moscow as propaganda aimed at frightening Russian citizens.
On 7 March, the US embassy in Russia had issued a security alert stating it was “monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, including concerts.”
Washington mentioned that it had directly alerted Russian authorities about a “planned terrorist attack” potentially targeting “large gatherings” in Moscow.
National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson indicated that the United States had “shared this information with Russian authorities.”
However, when speaking to FSB chiefs last Tuesday, Putin stated: “Recent provocative statements by a number of official Western structures about the possibility of terrorist attacks in Russia … resemble outright blackmail and an intention to intimidate and destabilize our society.”
In early March, the FSB mentioned that it had eliminated Islamic State militants who were planning an attack on a Moscow synagogue.
The agency has announced almost daily in recent weeks the apprehension of several pro-Ukrainian saboteurs it claimed were plotting attacks on Russian military infrastructure.
by AFP
