Moscow once again experienced the worst nightmares of the Chechen terrorist attacks of the 1990s when this evening a group of armed men, dressed in camouflage, broke into a concert hall north-west of the center and opened fire mercilessly on spectators.
According to some testimonies, the attackers also threw grenades or incendiary bottles and shortly afterwards the entire building turned into a fire.
At least 40 dead and 145 injured, including some children, is the still provisional toll provided by the Russian internal security services, FSB.
The authorities opened a terrorism investigation and a few hours later ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.
Islamic State militiamen, we read in a message on the jihadist group's Telegram channel, "attacked a large gathering (...) on the outskirts of Moscow" and then "withdrew safely to their bases".
Video Shooting in Moscow, the fire on the roof of the concert hall
About two weeks ago the FSB said it had eliminated a cell of the Afghan branch of ISIS that was planning an armed attack on the capital.
This evening's attack took place in the Krasnogorsk district, outside and inside the Crocus City Hall concert hall, the largest in Moscow with a capacity of over 6 thousand people, where the rock band Picnic was about to perform.
About a hundred people were rescued from inside the hall or from the roof, where they had taken refuge and which then partially collapsed due to the flames.
Some helicopters were flown in to put out the fire.
The Italian embassy immediately took action to verify the possible presence of Italians, which at the moment there is no evidence of.
In a video you can see the attackers - at least four, others say five - approaching with weapons in hand towards the entrance of the concert hall, located in the hall of a shopping centre, and shooting in cold blood at some people who were trying to take shelter in a corner.
In another video, relaunched by Novaja Gazeta Europa, dozens of people can be seen crowding towards the exit of the building to escape the attack, while around dozens of bodies hit by gunfire can be clearly seen.
According to unconfirmed information, 4 of the 5 attackers managed to escape after the massacre.
Ria Novosti published a photo of the car used by the attackers to leave the site of the massacre: a white Renault Symbol.
All mass and entertainment events in Russia have been canceled for the next few days, while security checks on public transport and at airports have been tightened.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed the "firm and total condemnation of the Italian government for this brutal act of terrorism", stating that "the horror of the massacre of innocent civilians in Moscow is unacceptable".
Video Moscow, the attackers in action in the concert hall
The European Union also condemned the assault, and the White House said its "thoughts are with the victims of the terrible attack."
According to National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, "there is no sign at this time of the involvement of Ukraine or Ukrainians in the shooting in Moscow."
"If the United States has or had reliable data in this regard - responded the spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova - these data must be immediately shared with the Russian side. And if they do not have information, the White House does not have the right to pronounce acquittals against anyone".
Last March 7, the American embassy in Moscow warned its citizens of possible terrorist attacks in the following 48 hours, especially at crowded events such as musical concerts.
And CNN, citing "informed sources", said that the US had warned Russia of the risk of attacks by ISIS.
The Ukrainian presidency also denied any involvement, as did the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK), one of the paramilitary units within Kiev's forces which in recent weeks have claimed responsibility for several infiltration attempts in the Russian border regions of Belgorod and Kursk.
Video Moscow, the break-in and shooting of armed men in the concert hall
However, the former president and current vice-president of the Russian Security Council, the hawk Dmitry Medvedev, immediately raised the tone: "If it were established that there are terrorists from the Kiev regime behind it, they will all have to be found and killed without mercy, including the leaders of the state that committed such atrocities,” he threatened on his Telegram channel.
While from Kiev the Ministry of Defense Intelligence spoke of the attack as "a deliberate provocation by the Putin regime".
The American embassy's alarm was raised after the FSB said the day before it had foiled a gun attack against worshipers at a synagogue in the capital.
Russian intelligence had specified that the attack had been planned by a cell of Wilayat Khorasan, the Afghan branch of ISIS, which appeared for the first time in 2014, which aims to found a new caliphate bringing together various countries Asian countries, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, but also some former Soviet republics, such as Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Mattarella, firm condemnation for horror of the cruel attack
"The cruel terrorist attack carried out in Moscow calls for the firmest condemnation. Horror and execration must accompany violence against all innocent civilian victims. Fighting all forms of terrorism must be a common commitment for the entire international community".
The President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, wrote this in a note.
Melons, massacre of innocent civilians in Moscow is unacceptable
"The horror of the massacre of innocent civilians in Moscow is unacceptable. The Italian Government firmly and completely condemns this brutal act of terrorism. I express my full solidarity with the people affected and the families of the victims".
The Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, wrote this in a note.
The condemnation of the UN, EU and USA
The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, condemns the attack in Moscow "in the strongest possible way".
This was reported by his spokesperson.
"The EU is shocked and horrified by the reports of a terrorist attack in the Crocus municipality in Moscow" and "condemns any attack against civilians".
The spokesperson for EU foreign policy, Peter Stano, writes this on X.
"Our thoughts go out to all Russian citizens affected," he adds.
The Americans in Moscow remain where they are after the shooting in a concert hall: this was recommended by the spokesperson of the US National Security Council John Kirby, defining the images of the incident as "horrific" and assuring that "our thoughts are with the victims".
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