Camouflage-clad gunmen killed at least 62 people and injured scores of others when they opened fire at a crowded concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow in an attack quickly condemned around the world as an act of terrorism.
The Islamic State (IS) militant group claimed responsibility for the deadly attack on March 22 at the 6,200-seat Crocus City Hall concert venue in Krasnogorsk near Moscow. The gunfire was accompanied by multiple explosions that left the upper floors of the venue engulfed in flames that eventually caused the roof to collapse.
Video posted on social media showed concertgoers entering the hall and taking their seats when pandemonium struck. As bullets sprayed around the hall, hundreds of people could be seen running for exits while others sought cover in the deadliest attack in Russia since the 2004 Beslan school siege.
The Baza website quoted unnamed sources as saying the number of dead was at least 62 and could rise, although that report could not be independently confirmed. The Moscow Regional Health Ministry published a list of names of 145 victims who had been taken to hospitals. The list includes children.
Some Telegram and other social media accounts shared accounts of purported eyewitnesses, one of whom reported "shooting from all sides."
Hours after the incident began, Telegram channels affiliated with IS ran a statement saying the group’s fighters "attacked a large gathering...on the outskirts of the Russian capital, Moscow."
RIA-Novosti reported that at least three gunmen were involved, while Interfax reported there were at least five attackers.
The IS statement, which was confirmed by U.S. intelligence services, said the attackers had "retreated to their bases safely," though that claim could not be independently confirmed and it was not clear whether the militants had been able to leave the building as it was engulfed in flames.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a U.S. official told Reuters that Washington had warned Moscow in recent weeks of the possibility of an attack.
Two weeks earlier, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow had warned Russia that "extremists" had imminent plans for an attack in the capital, and just ahead of that, the Federal Security Service (FSB) said it had stopped an attack on a Moscow synagogue by Islamic State's affiliate in Afghanistan, known as ISIS-Khorasan or ISIS-K.
President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said the Kremlin leader had been informed "in the first minutes" of the attack and was "constantly receiving information about what's happening and about measures being taken through all relevant services."
He said Putin "gave all the necessary instructions."
Putin did not directly address Russians after the attack, but Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies that the 71-year-old president “wished a speedy recovery to the wounded victims.”
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called on the international community "to condemn this bloody terrorist attack."
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said through a spokesperson that he "condemns in the strongest possible terms" the attack. The United States, France, Turkey, Italy, EU, and other leaders also condemned the incident.
The Crocus City Hall is a popular concert venue in a high-end district on the edge of Moscow that attracts major Russian musical acts. The Soviet-era band Piknik was scheduled to play on March 22 but never took the stage. The band's manager said all of the members of the group were safe.
"A terrible tragedy occurred in the shopping center Crocus City today," Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram. "I am sorry for the loved ones of the victims."
The European Union said through a spokesman that it was "shocked and appalled by the reports" and it "condemns any attacks against civilians," adding, "Our thoughts are with all those Russian citizens affected."
