- Several gunmen opened fire in a concert hall near Moscow on Friday evening.
- The Russian domestic secret service FSB speaks of more than 60 dead and over 145 injured.
- The terrorist organization Islamic State claimed responsibility for the crime in a message on Telegram.
- According to Russian news agencies, a total of eleven people were arrested.
The Tass news agency refers to a member of parliament in its report. He wrote on the Telegram messenger service that two people had been caught after a car chase in the Bryansk region.
Interfax also reports that the head of the FSB informed Vladimir Putin on Saturday morning about the arrest of a total of eleven people – including four who were directly involved in the attack.
Several dozen dead – concert hall in flames
The Russian Prosecutor General confirmed reports on Friday evening that unknown people in camouflage clothing had broken into the Crocus City Hall. According to SRF foreign editor Philipp Scholkmann, they shot randomly into the hall shortly before the start of a concert.
The Ministry of Health of the Moscow region reported over 150 injuries and more than 60 deaths on the night from Friday to Saturday – including three children. On Saturday morning (Swiss time), the death toll was increased to 93, as several news agencies unanimously wrote.
The building also caught fire during the attack. In the meantime, it was said that the fire was under control, but open flames were again coming out of the building early on Saturday morning, as reported by the Tass agency. There are also reports that parts of the roof have collapsed.
Government announces aid
According to the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been informed about the events “from the first minute”. He also wishes the injured a speedy recovery, said Tass, citing Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova.
The head of the Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian parliament, Valentina Matviyenko, has threatened the masterminds with retaliation. “Those behind this terrible crime will receive the deserved and inevitable punishment,” she wrote on her Telegram channel. At the same time, she announced, the state would do everything it could to help those left behind.
Security precautions increased
In a statement, the Moscow mayor’s office spoke of a huge tragedy and expressed its condolences to the victims. It canceled all major weekend events. According to the Tass news agency, security measures have been strengthened at the capital’s airports and train stations.
The Russian investigators reacted cautiously. They released a video on Saturday morning showing weapons and ammunition that were said to have been recovered at the scene. They are looking for the perpetrators, but they haven’t announced anything else.
IS claims responsibility for the attack
The terrorist organization Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack on the Telegram news service. While the Russian authorities have not yet commented on the matter, terror expert Peter Neumann from King’s College in London believes the letter of responsibility is genuine. The White House is also said to have intelligence information that confirms IS claims.
What is striking, according to SRF correspondent Philipp Scholkmann, is that the US authorities recently warned of the scenario of such a terrorist attack in Russia. Various Western countries then warned their citizens to avoid major events in Moscow. However, it is unclear to what extent there is a connection.
The idea that Ukraine could have anything to do with the attack was rejected in a statement from the Ukrainian capital Kiev that evening.