Russian media reported that around 40 people were killed and at least 150 injured in a shooting at a concert hall and shopping center near Moscow. According to witnesses, this recent security incident in Moscow is considered the largest in nearly half a century due to its bloodiness and the scale of loss of life.
Media outlets reported that police had cordoned off the car used by the assailants to reach the Crocus City Hall in the parking lot. The fire spread over an area of approximately 13,000 square meters, with smoke covering part of Moscow. Late on, ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Ministry of Emergencies stated that firefighters were assisting 100 individuals to exit the "Crocus City" shopping center, and efforts were ongoing to rescue more people from the building's roof. TASS news agency reported that the roof of the Crocus theater had collapsed due to the fire and civilians remained trapped inside. The Russian health ministry sent 50 ambulance teams to assist the victims of the explosion at the shopping center.
The Russian Foreign Ministry condemned the massive terrorist act, calling on "the entire international community to condemn the terrorist act at 'Crocus City' in Moscow."
Details revealed that individuals dressed in camouflage, at least three of them, stormed the ground floor of the Crocus City Hall and opened fire with automatic weapons. TASS reported that there was a shooting incident in the "Crocus City Hall" concert venue near Moscow. According to the agency, at least three individuals in camouflage opened fire, injuring several people. TASS also reported an explosion and a fire breaking out in the building where the shooting occurred.
Afterward, a hand grenade or incendiary device was thrown, igniting flames. People lay on the ground in the hall to escape the gunfire for 15 to 20 minutes before they began to crawl out, and many managed to escape.
The Mayor of Moscow announced the cancellation of all gatherings over the weekend following the recent events. The Russian Federal Security Service mentioned reports of a second explosion at the concert hall near Moscow.
In the first statement from Washington regarding the attack on the shopping center in Moscow, the White House declared that it had no information regarding a potential incident at the "Crocus City" mall in the suburbs of Moscow.
For its part, the Ukrainian presidency confirmed that "Kyiv has no connection whatsoever with the attack near Moscow."
