Moscow concert hall shooting: At least
| The usual Daily Mail: lots of photos, witness comments, and a map. badanov’s translations of local Russian reports follow below. |
Up to five people in camouflage opened fire at the Crocus City Hall, with at least 40 people feared dead, according to reports.
TASS news agency reported a blast and a fire in the building where the shooting took place at around 8pm local time, in what was described as a 'terror attack' by the Russian foreign ministry.
Police, special forces and 70 ambulances have arrived at the scene, with some video footage showed a number of people lying motionless in pools of blood outside the hall.
Up to 100 may be trapped in the burning building as flames rage, as some were evacuated from the roof of the hall, which has a capacity of 6000.
On Friday evening there were warnings that a floor of the burning hall may collapse.
Security checks have been stepped at key places in Moscow including airports and train stations, as BBC News reported that one gunman may have escaped the attack.
Brought to mind Nord Ost or Beslan, didn't it?
Islamic State says it carried out terror attack at music venue which left 62 dead
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] Islamic State tonight claimed responsibility for a suspected terror attack which killed at least 60 people at a packed concert venue on the outskirts of Moscow.
Around 100 people were also left fighting for their lives when gunmen in camouflage clothing opened fire with automatic weapons on people at a concert in the Crocus City Hall on Friday.
Three men named by the authorities and believed to be the killers are feared to be on the run tonight after slipping away from the bloodbath.
In one of the worst atrocities to happen in Russia in recent years,
Nord Ost, Beslan, Nalchik, Grozny...
the attackers were shown in unverified videos firing repeatedly at screaming civilians cowering in the concert.
Audience members had been at the venue to see Soviet-era rock group 'Picnic' about to perform at 8pm when the massacre began.
But before the music started the gunmen marched out into the auditorium and started opening fire.
It brought back harrowing memories of the Islamic State assault on Paris's Bataclan concert hall in 2015 when 89 people were shot dead.
And in a statement released on Telegram tonight the extremist group said: 'IS fighters attacked a large gathering on the outskirts of the Russian capital Moscow' before they had 'retreated to their bases safely'.
Apocalyptic scenes outside Crocus City Hall after the armed assault saw flames leapt into the sky and plumes of black smoke rose above the venue.
Hundreds of blue lights from emergency vehicles flashed into the night as police and medics tried to help the injured.
| Courtesy of badanov, the Russian press in their own words: |
Terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall. Chronology of the tragedy
[Regnum] On the evening of March 22, a group of armed militants broke into the Crocus City Hall building before a concert of the Russian group Picnic. The terrorists opened fire on visitors with machine guns, killing at least 40 people and injuring over 130. Then there was an explosion and a fire started. IA Regnum has restored the entire chronology of the events of the evening of the tragedy.
The Commissioner for Children's Rights in Moscow, Olga Yaroslavskaya, said that there were children among the victims.
“A terrible tragedy. Children were harmed. Sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims. There can be no mercy for terrorists who attack civilians. Strength and courage to all of us,” she wrote on social networks.
ATTACK AND PANIC
On the evening of March 22, a concert of the famous group “Picnic” was supposed to take place in the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk. Hundreds of people gathered for the event. Just before the start, there were claps.
According to eyewitnesses and the musicians themselves, at first no one thought of shooting. A member of the musical group told reporters that he mistook the loud sounds for special effects that had gone wrong.
However, at this time unknown persons shot several people. People rushed to the exits, panic arose, and, judging by the video from eyewitnesses, there was some kind of crush at the exit from the building.
EXPLOSION AND FIRE
Soon emergency services reported an explosion in the Crocus building. A large fire followed. Firefighters and rescuers were immediately dispatched to the scene. Moscow sent additional forces to help Krasnogorsk, including firefighting helicopters.
The first report of smoke came in at approximately 20:15 Moscow time. Three minutes later the first fire department was already on the scene. Rescuers could not immediately begin extinguishing the fire; according to information agency Regnum, an evacuation was taking place, and inside there could have been a fight between SOBR and OMON officers and militants. At 20:30 the building's structures began to collapse. At the same time, rescuers noticed about 50 people on the roof.
At 20:46, 100 people were evacuated from Crocus, including people from the roof.
RESCUE OF PEOPLE AND LIST OF WOUNDED
At 21:20 the FSB confirmed the terrorist attack. The department reported that all necessary measures are being taken.
Russian Railways and Moscow airports have strengthened security measures. At the same time, the first information about dead and injured began to arrive. According to official data, by 22:45 40 people were killed and more than 100 injured.
The head of the Ministry of Health, Mikhail Murashko, took personal control of providing assistance to the wounded. Prosecutors of the Moscow region and Governor Andrei Vorovyov arrived at the scene of the emergency, and an operational headquarters was organized.
According to Regnum news agency, among the victims there is a minor - a 12-year-old teenager.
Also on the list:
1. Novoselova M. 30 years old;
2. Koševarov A. 42 years old;
3. Nikulina N. 47 years old;
4. Nemova E. 50 years;
5. Galkina O. 65 years old;
6. Peas G. 65 years old;
7. Zaitseva T. 34 years old;
8. Cherenkova O. 42 years old;
9. Girina E. 47 years old, wounded in the leg;
10. Sokolovsky I., wounded in the back
A REACTION
Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov said that the head of state was informed about the tragedy in the very first minutes.
Putin gave all the necessary instructions.
Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev expressed deep condolences to the families of the dead and injured. He noted that terrorists only understand retaliatory terror. No amount of trials or investigations will help if force is not countered by force.
“If it is established that these are terrorists of the Kyiv regime, it is impossible to deal with them and their ideological inspirers differently. All of them must be found and mercilessly destroyed as terrorists. Including officials of the state that committed such an atrocity,” he emphasized.
The Russian Foreign Ministry, in turn, called on the world community not to turn a blind eye to the terrorist attack in Russia and to categorically condemn it. However, in response, the office of the UN Secretary General only stated that he was “saddened” by the events.
“SADDEN? SHOOTING? This is a fight at a shooting range, or what? Live, people with all their might are broadcasting footage of a monstrous, bloody terrorist attack, which causes not “sadness,” but horror, shock, shock, unconditional condemnation, righteous anger and compassion for the victims,” said the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, indignantly.
At the same time, she expressed doubts that Western countries were not aware of the impending massacre.
Thus, the White House hastened to declare that the Ukrainians were not involved in what happened.
“On what basis do officials in Washington draw any conclusions in the midst of a tragedy about anyone’s innocence? If the United States has or had reliable data in this regard, then it must be immediately transferred to the Russian side. And if there is no such data, then the White House has no right to issue indulgences to anyone,” Zakharova said.
She added that the competent authorities will identify all those involved.
The Investigative Directorate of Russia has already opened a criminal case regarding a terrorist attack in the Moscow region
The Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia opened a criminal case on the grounds of a crime under Art. 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Terrorist act”).
An investigative team from the central office of the Russian Investigative Committee went to the scene of the incident.
More from regnum.ru
Vucic said that the United States had information about the preparation of terrorist attacks in Russia
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on March 22 that the United States and Great Britain could have information about terrorist attacks being prepared in Russia, as they warned their citizens in Russia not to visit crowded places.
“On March 7, the American Embassy called on its citizens not to visit the shopping center. Then the British did the same. This means that their intelligence services intercepted certain conversations, received information and knew that something would happen,” Vucic said on the Prva TV channel.
The US Embassy in Russia reported that terrorist attacks were possible in Moscow on March 8–9. The British Foreign Office also informed citizens in those days.
“The Embassy is monitoring reports that extremists are planning to attack large gatherings of people in Moscow, including concerts, in the near future, and US citizens are advised to avoid large crowds for the next 48 hours,” the message said.
The message was published only in English. The State Department has raised the danger level for its citizens in the Russian Federation to the maximum level of four.
As IA Regnum reported, before the concert of the Picnic group at Crocus City Hall on the evening of March 22, shooting was heard. Unidentified people in camouflage and masks opened fire from firearms. According to the FSB, 40 people were killed and more than 100 injured as a result of the shooting.
More than 50 ambulance teams were sent to Crocus. According to a Regnum news agency source, there is a shootout in the concert hall between security forces and militants who opened fire. OMON and SOBR are working on the spot.
Later, the first lists of victims as a result of the shooting appeared. In some cases, specific injuries were noted - a woman and a man were wounded in the leg and back. The list also includes a 12-year-old child.
A former employee of CHOP CROCUS PROFI LLC, which provides security for Crocus, told IA Regnum that on the territory of the concert hall there were not only guards with batons and stun guns, but also armed guards - units of the State Bureau of Investigation. The interlocutor noted that he did not know why they did not work at the right time.
Even more from regnum.ru
Zakharova commented on the White House's statements about the terrorist attack in Moscow
Zakharova: if the United States had information about the terrorist attack in Moscow, it should urgently transfer it to the Russian Federation
The United States must urgently transmit all information about the terrorist attack in Moscow, if it has such data, Russian official representative Maria Zakharova wrote in her Telegram channel.
“If the United States has or had reliable data on this matter, then it must be immediately transferred to the Russian side,” she noted.
Earlier, the White House said it saw no signs that Ukraine or Ukrainians were involved in the terrorist attack in Moscow. At the same time, the US administration claims that it did not have information about the preparation of this attack.
Zakharova was outraged that Washington was making statements in the midst of the tragedy about the non-involvement of anyone. She emphasized that if the United States still does not have information about what happened, then the American side does not have the right to protect any forces.
As Regnum reported, on March 22, a terrorist attack occurred at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk near Moscow. As a result of the terrorist attack, 25 people were killed and another 45 were injured.
In addition, due to the terrorist attack, a fire broke out in the hall, which is why some of the visitors were blocked on the second floor. The area of fire spread was up to 3,000 square meters.
Yet, more from regnum.ru
Zakharova held the EU responsible for the terrorist attacks in Kyiv against Russians
The EU leadership, which supplies weapons to Kiev, must bear responsibility for the terrorist attacks of the Kiev regime against civilians of Russia, according to a commentary by the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, on the results of the EU summit on March 21–22.
“Responsibility should be equally borne by the current leadership of the European Union and its member countries, which supplies Kiev with weapons and provokes it to commit international crimes,” the statement says.
Zakharova pointed out that the goal set by the European Union to double arms purchases in European countries by 2030 indicates the EU’s plans, following the example of the United States, to start making money on wars. At the same time, as the diplomat emphasized, the allocation of €50 billion in financial and economic support to Ukraine and €5 billion in military assistance from the EU will not save the Kiev regime.
The Russian diplomat noted that the European Union is already openly telling Ukrainians that their place is not in Europe, but “on the battlefield” against Russia.
As Regnum reported, in February, the head of the Ministry of Defense Sergei Shoigu, at a thematic conference call with the leadership of the Russian Armed Forces, said that the Kiev regime’s terrorist attacks against civilians are needed to demonstrate at least some success to the West.
President Vladimir Putin said that Russia will never forget about Kiev’s crimes against Russian citizens.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces daily carry out massive attacks on residential areas of the border territories of the Russian Federation. In particular, the Belgorod and Kursk regions are under fire.
Putin said on March 20 that Russia could respond symmetrically to Ukrainian Armed Forces’ strikes on civilian targets in border areas, but it will not do so. The head of state emphasized that the country has its own views on this matter and its own plans.
Tangentially related from regnum.ru
FSB stopped the creation of an RDK cell in Moscow
The FSB detained seven Muscovites who were planning to create an RDK cell
The Federal Security Service prevented an attempt to create a criminal group in Moscow from among supporters of the nationalist organization “Russian Volunteer Corps” (RDK, recognized in the Russian Federation as a terrorist organization and banned) banned in the Russian Federation. This was reported on March 22 by the Public Relations Center (PRC) of the FSB.
In total, security forces detained seven residents of the capital - supporters of this organization.
“Seven detained residents of Moscow maintained contacts with the RDK, operating as part of the armed forces of Ukraine against the Russian army, and discussed ways of carrying out violent actions against representatives of law enforcement agencies, military personnel and foreigners,” the department reported.
FSB officers conducted searches at their places of residence. The security forces seized knives, a machete, an ax, an aerosol pistol and pepper spray, flags with Nazi symbols, as well as communications equipment containing active correspondence with the leaders of the RDK.
As Regnum reported, on March 21, a man was detained in the Belgorod region who was preparing acts of sabotage and terrorism against the Russian military. An explosive device ready for remote detonation in the area where Russian military personnel are stationed in the region was seized from a supporter of Ukrainian terrorists from the RDK. On the same day, the court arrested him.
In Crimea, on March 22, FSB officers detained a member of the illegal armed formation “Crimean Tatar Battalion named after Noman Celebidzhikhan” (a terrorist organization whose activities are prohibited in the Russian Federation). According to the department, in 2015 the man joined the ranks of an illegal armed group stationed on the territory of Ukraine and actively took part in its work directed against the interests of Russia.
More from korrespondent.net
GUR about the shooting in a shopping center near Moscow: Deliberate provocation on the orders of Putin
They would say that, wouldn't they?
There was a shooting, explosion and fire in the Crocus City Hall concert hall in Krasnogorsk
Intelligence officials believe that the Kremlin will most likely blame Ukraine for this shooting in order to escalate military aggression.
The terrorist attack in the Crocus City Hall shopping center near Moscow is a planned and deliberate provocation of the Russian special services on the instructions of dictator Vladimir Putin. The goal is the Kremlin’s attempt to justify intensifying attacks on Ukraine and total mobilization. This was stated by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
Intelligence drew attention to the intention of the Russian leadership to escalate military aggression.
“The public execution of people in Moscow should be understood as Putin’s threat of an even greater escalation and expansion of the war. Peskov’s statement about “war”, made shortly before the terrorist attack, is just a false start of a carefully planned Kremlin special operation,” the GUR statement said.
It is noted that Putin “has extensive experience in organizing such terrorist attacks as a way to strengthen his own power, starting with the bombing of houses on the Kashirskoye Highway.”
“Just like then, today’s action to intimidate Russians will become a reason for maximum tightening of the screws in Russia itself,” the Main Intelligence Directorate stated.
Intelligence officials believe that the Kremlin will most likely blame Ukraine for this shooting in order to “use the shooting of its own citizens as a pretext for even more brutal attacks on civilian infrastructure and the killing of Ukrainian civilians.”
“Today’s attack on the civilian infrastructure of Ukraine is another link in the escalation initiated by Putin,” the GUR statement said.
As the intelligence service emphasized, the unhindered movement of a group of militants with machine guns in the center of Moscow, among other evidence, indicates that “the shooting at Crocus City Hall was organized by Russian special services.”
“International embassies also warned about the preparation of a terrorist attack. It is obvious to the whole world that the terrorist attack in Moscow is another crime by Putin to retain his own authorities,” the GUR stated.
Let us remind you that today, March 22, a shooting occurred in the Crocus City Hall concert hall in Krasnogorsk near Moscow . According to Russian media, about 40 people were killed and at least 140 people were injured.
Related:
Islamic State: 2024-03-22 Three residents of Ingushetia accused of aiding terrorists
Islamic State: 2024-03-22 FSB in Yekaterinburg detained an extremist for preparing a terrorist attack in a military unit
Islamic State: 2024-03-21 Nalchik resident suspected of financing terrorism
Islamic State: 2024-03-22 Three residents of Ingushetia accused of aiding terrorists
Islamic State: 2024-03-22 FSB in Yekaterinburg detained an extremist for preparing a terrorist attack in a military unit
Islamic State: 2024-03-21 Nalchik resident suspected of financing terrorism
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