Zelensky Advisor: Ukraine Had No Role in Crocus Terror
At least three people in camouflage opened fire at the Crocus City Hall concert venue near Moscow on Friday, a Sputnik correspondent reported.
Several people were injured in the shooting, while the concert hall caught fire, according to the correspondent.
“At least three people in camouflage burst into the ground floor of Crocus City Hall and opened fire with automatic weapons. There are definitely wounded,” the correspondent said. “After that [the gunmen] threw a grenade or an incendiary bomb, which started a fire.”
“People in the hall laid down on the ground to avoid the fire, laying there for about 15-20 minutes, after which they began to crawl out. Many managed to get out,” the correspondent said.
Law enforcement has arrived and are working at the scene. Local authorities said that “all forces and means have been directed to the scene of the incident,” and that “information about victims is being confirmed.”The Emergencies Ministry said about a hundred people have been evacuated from the venue’s basement.
Moscow Region governor Andrei Vorobyov is on route to the scene of the emergency, and an operational headquarters has been created. Moscow Mayor has ordered authorities to provide “all necessary assistance,” and expressed “condolences to the relatives of the victims.”
The Russian Health Ministry told Sputnik that over 50 ambulances has been sent to Krasnogorsk to provide medical care to victims. This number has since been increased to 70.
Reports appear on social media about an explosion in the Crocus City Hall building in Moscow. pic.twitter.com/N1KATRCbRC
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) March 22, 2024
Members of the musical group Piknik, at whose concert the shooting occurred, were not injured, the director of the show told Sputnik.
Moscow’s Department of Transit said the nearby Myakinino metro station is operating as normal, but said that vehicular traffic in and out of the area has been complicated by traffic jams.
A White House spokesperson said the United States is aware of the reports of the mass shooting in Moscow, and considers footage from the scene “terrifying.” The US Embassy in Moscow and those of other NATO countries have spent the past several weeks warning of a heightened risk of terror attacks in Moscow and other Russian regions, and urging American nationals to avoid traveling to Russia.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has urged the international community to condemn incident at Crocus City Hall, which it characterized as a “terror attack.”
Updates:
Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan Expresses Condolences Over Moscow Region Terrorist Attack In Phone Conversation With Lavrov
Turkish Veep Calls Terrorism Global Scourge After Terrorist Attack in Russia
“I express my condolences to the Russian people. Now it is necessary to follow the details and the statements of officials. We have just been talking about terror. It is a scourge of the entire world,” Yilmaz told CNN Turk.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on the US White House’s reaction to the terrorist attack
“The White House said it saw no indication that Ukraine or Ukrainians were involved in the terrorist attack in Moscow.
On what basis do officials in Washington draw any conclusions about anyone’s innocence in the midst of a tragedy? If the US has or had reliable information in this regard, then it must be immediately transferred to the Russian side.
And if there is no such data, then the White House has no right to issue indulgences to anyone. All those involved, as stated by the Russian leadership, will be identified by the competent authorities.”
Cuba, Italy, Egypt Condemn Crocus Terror
The foreign ministries of Cuba, Italy, and Egypt have each separately condemned Friday’s terror attack.”We condemn the terrorist attack committed at the Crocus City Hall concert venue in Moscow region, which has resulted in the death and injury of numerous people. We express our deepest condolences to the people and government of Russia, especially to the families and loved ones of the victimes,” Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla wrote in an X post.
Fire Ravages Crocus’ Upper Floors
The blaze at Crocus has almost completely razed the building’s upper floors and moved further down, Sputnik’s correspondent on the scene said.
Gunmen Executed People Point Blank
The gunmen attacking Crocus City Hall shot people point blank after bursting into the building, a Sputnik correspondent who witnessed the incident said. The terror incident began a few minutes before 8 pm Moscow time, prior to the start of the concert, the survivor said.
New Footage From the Scene
Sputnik’s correspondent has provided new footage from the scene at Crocus.
New footage from Moscow Crocus City Hall at this moment pic.twitter.com/nSdAzFfUaL
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) March 22, 2024
Moscow Metro, Airports Raise Alert Level, More Regions Cancel Public Events
Moscow’s Vnukovo, Zhukovsky and Sheremetyevo airports have heightened security measures, Additional security officers have been deployed to the Myakinino metro station, and Moscow Metro security staff carrying out increased checks of passengers’ luggage.Volograd, Krasnodar, Tula and Tver regions, as well as Tatarstan, have canceled all public events. Leningrad region has gone on security high alert.
Zelensky Advisor: Ukraine Had No Role in Crocus Terror
Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said Friday that Kiev is not involved in the attack at Crocus City Hall
Pakistan, Turkiye Condemn Crocus Terror Attack
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry expressed strong condemnation for Friday’s “horrific attack,” expressing its “deepest condolences” to the families of victims, and saying Islamabad “stands in solidarity with the people and government of the Russian Federation.”Turkish Vice-President Cevdet Yilmaz expressed his condolences “to the people of Russia,” saying that terrorism is a problem the whole world faces.
FSB Says 40 Dead, Over 100 Injured in Crocus Attack
40 people have been killed and over 100 injured during Friday’s attack at Crocus City Hall, the FSB said, citing preliminary figures.
Crimea, Kursk Cancel All Public Events, Leningrad Governor Plans Security Meeting
Officials in Crimea and Kursk have canceled all planned public events in connection with the Crocus attack. In Leningrad region, Governor Alexander Drozdenko has announced plans for a meeting of an operational HQ and the introduction of heightened security measures in the region.
Roof Near the Stage at Crocus Begins to Collapse
The roof of Crocus City Hall near the venue’s stage has begun to collapse, Sputnik’s correspondent on the scene has reported.
Investigative Committee Opens Probe Into Terrorist Attack
The Investigative Committee has announced that a criminal case involving terrorism charges over the Crocus City Hall shooting attack has been opened following the emergency.
Donetsk Mayor Sends Condolences to Victims’ Families
“I want to express my sympathies to the families and friends of the victims…In these terrible moments, the residents of Donetsk share with Muscovites the pain of the tragedy. We are with you in our prayers,” Mayor Alexei Kulemzin wrote in a Telegram post.
Belarusian President Expresses Condolences to Putin
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has expressed condolences to Russian President Vladimir Putin over Friday’s attack on Crocus City Hall, the press service of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry has said.
Emergencies Ministry Deploys Helicopters
The Emergencies Ministry said firefighting aviation has been deployed to fight the blaze, with a helicopter dropping water on the burning building and two other helicopters preparing for departure.
Helicopter and ambulances arrive at the scene seen near Crocus City Hall. pic.twitter.com/zi6P9gcRcU
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) March 22, 2024
Fire at Crocus City Hall Spreading
The fire inside the entertainment venue is getting stronger, Sputnik’s correspondent said.
The fire in the Crocus City Hall building is getting stronger, reports Sputnik correspondent pic.twitter.com/nXTL4T07pT
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) March 22, 2024
Russian Foreign Ministry Spox Calls Crocus Attack Act of Terror
“The Russian Foreign Ministry is getting calls from around the world from ordinary citizens expressing their condolences in connection with the terrible tragedy at Crocus City Hall, and using words of strong condemnation of this bloody terrorist attack,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote in her Telegram page.
Moscow Mayor Cancels All Public Events
Mayor Sobyanin has canceled all public events in the Russian capital this weekend in connection with the attack at Crocus City Hall. “I have decided to cancel all sporting, cultural and other public events in Moscow this weekend. I ask you treat this measure with understanding,” Sobyanin said in a post on his Telegram channel.
UN Comments on Terror Attack
Farhan Haq, a spokesman for UN General Secretary Antonio Guterres, told Sputnik the United Nations “mourns the loss of life” in Friday’s attack and is monitoring the situation.
Russian SWAT Teams Operating Inside Crocus City Hall
SWAT teams are working inside the venue, assisting firefighters evacuating people and searching for the attack’s perpetrators, a Russian lawmaker has said.
FSB Confirms Casualties
According to Russia’s main domestic security agency, “there are dead and wounded” in the wake of the incident.
Explosions Rock Venue
Explosions have been reported at the scene of the incident, presumably caused by the fire.
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