A major shooting, followed by a fire, broke out in a concert hall in the suburbs of Moscow, Russia, according to Russian news agencies, this Friday March 22.
At least 40 people were killed and 100 injured.
Russian diplomacy denounced a
“bloody terrorist attack”
.
Ukraine, for its part, denied any involvement, explaining that it had
“nothing to do”
with the shooting.
For Washington, there
is “no indication at this stage”
of Ukrainian involvement in the attack in Moscow.
Ukrainian military intelligence, for its part, blamed
“Russian special services”
for the attack.
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Videos are circulating on social media, showing crowds in panic.
“A terrible tragedy occurred today in Crocus City.
I offer my condolences to the loved ones of the dead
,” said the mayor.
Orthodox Patriarch Kirill
“prays for peace for the souls of the deceased
,” according to his spokesperson, Vladimir Legoida.
The facts, the exact nature of which remains to be clarified, took place at Crocus City Hall, a concert hall located in the northwest of the Russian capital.
“Unknown persons opened fire at Crocus City Hall.
The evacuation of people is underway
,” emergency services told the public agency TASS.
Around a hundred people were evacuated from the basement, others took refuge on the roof.
At least 70 ambulances are on site.
Automatic weapon fire
The Ria Novosti agency reported
“wounded”
after
“automatic weapon fire”
, quoting its journalist on site.
According to this journalist, people in camouflage clothing burst onto the floor of the room before opening fire and throwing
“a grenade or an incendiary bomb, which caused a fire”
.
“The people in the room lay on the ground to protect themselves from the gunfire for 15 to 20 minutes, after which they began to crawl out.
Many managed to get out
,” said this Ria Novosti journalist, according to whom
“there are injured, that’s for sure
. ”
The emergency services, cited by the Interfax agency, reported a
“group of two to five unidentified people wearing tactical uniforms and armed with automatic weapons”
who
“opened fire on security agents at the entrance to the concert hall”
then
“started shooting at the audience”
.
The Telegram news channels Baza and Mash, known to be close to the police, published videos showing large plumes of black smoke and flames escaping from the building housing the concert hall, as well as images showing two armed men advancing down the hall, with at least one man visible on the ground near the entrance.
Other images show spectators hiding behind seats or evacuating the concert hall.
Attacks in the past
The mayor of Moscow has canceled all public events in the Russian capital this weekend.
The White House sent its thoughts to the victims of the
“horrific”
attack in Moscow.
“I can't give more details
,” said John Kirby, spokesperson for the National Security Council, saying that the United States was seeking
“to obtain more information
. ”
Paris denounced
“odious acts”
.
Russia has been the target of numerous attacks in the past committed by Islamist groups but also of shootings without political motives or attributed to unbalanced people.
In 2002, Chechen fighters took 912 people hostage in the Moscow theater of Dubrovka to demand the withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya.
The hostage-taking ended with an assault by special forces, and the death of 130 people, almost all of them asphyxiated by the gas used by the soldiers.
This attack also comes as Russia has been waging a war against its Ukrainian neighbor for two years and has been the target of attacks by Russian anti-Kremlin fighters for several days in the regions bordering Ukraine.
Columns of smoke rising from the concert hall.
Screenshot