LIVE – Russia: more than 60 dead in an armed attack claimed by ISIS, the perpetrators still sought

The results are only provisional but it is already the deadliest attack in more than twenty years in Russia. At least 60 people were killed and 115 injured in the attack on a concert hall in the suburbs of Moscow on Friday evening. The armed attack was unanimously condemned by the international community and claimed by the jihadist group Islamic State. Russian law enforcement officials said they were “searching” for the attackers and authorities warned that the death toll from the attack “may rise.”

IS, which has already targeted Russia on several occasions, claimed on one of its Telegram accounts that its fighters “attacked a large gathering (…) in the vicinity of the Russian capital Moscow”. The jihadist organization claimed that its commando had then “returned to its base in complete safety”. The spokesperson for Russian diplomacy, Maria Zakharova, had previously denounced a “bloody terrorist attack” and a “monstrous crime”. Ukraine quickly denied any responsibility, even blaming the Russian secret services.

Vast fire in the concert hall

According to Health Minister Mikhail Mourashko, 115 people are hospitalized, including five children. Sixty adults and one minor among these injured are in serious condition. This assault, which Russian media began reporting around 8:15 p.m. in Moscow, was carried out by several armed individuals at Crocus City Hall, a concert hall located in Krasnogorsk, on the northwest exit of the Russian capital.

AFP journalists saw the building engulfed in a large fire, plumes of black smoke escaping from the roof, as well as a very large presence of police and emergency services, whose blue flashing lights lit up dozens at night. “There are still a few outbreaks but the fire has been practically contained. Rescuers were able to enter the auditorium,” the governor of the Moscow region, Andrei Vorobiov, declared on Telegram overnight.

“The roof of the auditorium has collapsed and the removal of debris continues,” he added. No information was given as to the number of people potentially trapped inside. “Just before the start, we suddenly heard several machine gun bursts and a terrible woman’s scream. Then a lot of screams,” Alexeï, a music producer who was in the dressing room at the time, told AFP. of the attack. He said he saw “terrible crowd movements” of spectators wanting to escape.

Ammunition magazines found on site

According to a journalist from the state news agency Ria Novosti, individuals in camouflage clothing burst into the concert hall before opening fire and throwing “a grenade or an incendiary bomb, which caused a fire. The flames spread to nearly 13,000 m2 of the building before the fire was contained, according to the emergency services.

Vladimir Putin, who was informed “from the first minutes” of the attack, according to the Kremlin, wished a speedy recovery to the victims and thanked the doctors, after receiving reports from law enforcement officials and services rescue. He has not yet spoken publicly. The Investigative Committee released a video showing investigators working in the lobby of the concert hall, where an automatic weapon and ammunition magazines can be seen.

The Moscow cultural world at a standstill

The Telegram news channels Baza and Mash, reputed to be close to the police, published videos showing at least two armed men advancing in the hall and others on which we can see corpses and groups of people rushing towards the exit. Other images show spectators hiding behind seats or evacuating the concert hall.

According to the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, firefighters managed to evacuate around a hundred people who were in the basement of the room. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced the cancellation of all public events this weekend. The capital’s main museums and theaters have announced their closure. Reinforced security measures have been put in place according to Russian television, particularly in Moscow airports and other major cities in the country. According to the Tass agency, Moscow’s Red Square was cordoned off by the police. This attack occurred during a concert by Russian rock band Piknik.

“Terrible attack”

The White House said its thoughts were with the victims of the terrible attack. The EU and Spain said they were “shocked”. French President Emmanuel Macron, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the Security Council and many other countries condemned the attack. An adviser to the Ukrainian presidency, Mykhaïlo Podoliak, affirmed that Ukraine, which has been facing a Russian military offensive for two years, “has absolutely nothing to do” with the shooting.

A unit of Russian anti-Kremlin fighters behind several armed incursions on the Russian border in recent months, the Russian Freedom Legion, has also denied any involvement. Ukrainian military intelligence accused “Russian special services” of being behind the attack in Moscow in order to “accuse Ukraine and provoke “escalation” and “expand” its assault. against his neighbor.

The US Embassy in Russia warned its citizens two weeks ago that it was “closely monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, including concerts.” The White House said the United States shared this intelligence with Russian authorities. Washington has a long-standing “duty to alert” policy, under which the United States notifies targeted countries when it receives intelligence about specific threats of kidnappings or assassinations, Adrienne Watson said. , spokesperson for the US National Security Council.