In Moscow, Russia, flags were lowered to half-mast as a mark of respect during a day of mourning. Authorities have arrested and charged four individuals, alleging they were responsible for the devastating shooting incident at a concert outside Moscow, which resulted in the highest death toll in an attack on Russian soil in over two decades.
On Sunday, President Vladimir Putin announced a nationwide day of mourning and vowed to bring justice to those responsible for the tragic incident that resulted in the loss of 137 lives, including three innocent children, and left 182 people injured.
More than 100 individuals continued to be hospitalized, with some in critical condition. A solemn Putin was seen in a video, lighting a candle at a church on his Moscow residence’s premises on Sunday evening, in commemoration of those who lost their lives.
On Sunday, individuals paid tribute by placing flowers at Crocus City Hall, an enormous concert venue near Moscow. This tragic event occurred as four armed intruders entered the hall moments before the renowned Soviet-era band Picnic was set to perform their popular song “Afraid of Nothing.” The attackers fired their automatic weapons in rapid succession, causing panic and injury among the civilians present.
Daesh has taken responsibility for the assault; however, Putin has not openly linked the militant organization to the attackers. According to him, these individuals attempted to flee towards Ukraine. He also mentioned that certain people on the “Ukrainian side” were ready to help the assailants cross the border.
Ukraine has refuted any involvement in the assault. On the other hand, Moscow’s Basmanny district court has indicted four individuals on charges of terrorism related to the incident. These suspects are identified as Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, Saidakrami Rachabalizoda, Shamsidin Fariduni, and Muhammadsobir Fayzov, as reported by the official Telegram channel of the Moscow courts.
According to Russian media, the four men, who are reportedly citizens of the former Soviet nation Tajikistan residing in Russia, will be held in pre-trial detention until May 22. Among them, three have admitted guilt to all the accusations.
Following unconfirmed and distressing videos of the suspects’ interrogations being shared on social platforms, photographs published by Russian media depicted one suspect arriving in a wheelchair, seemingly without an eye, another with a bandage covering his right ear, a third having a black eye and a torn plastic bag around his neck, and a fourth suspect displaying a swollen face, appearing disoriented and struggling to keep his eyes open.
On Friday, the most devastating assault occurred within Russian borders since the 2004 Beslan school hostage crisis. During that tragic event, militants held over 1,000 individuals captive. The aftermath claimed the lives of over 300 people, with over half being young children.
Dmitry Medvedev, the Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, announced that Russia will aim to apprehend the individuals responsible for the fatal shooting, regardless of their origin or identity.
Previously, he emphasized the necessity to confront “death with death,” and now some legislators are debating the possibility of reinstating capital punishment.
Throughout Moscow, various billboards displayed an image of a lone candle, accompanied by the date of the incident and the message “We mourn.” In response to this tragic event, nations worldwide have shown their dismay and extended their sympathies to the Russian population.
Gunmen
Putin announced that 11 individuals, including the four suspected shooters, escaped the concert hall and traveled to the Bryansk region, which is approximately 340 kilometers (210 miles) southwest of Moscow.
“In an attempt to evade detection, they ventured towards Ukraine, as per initial information, where a passage was seemingly arranged for them to illegally cross the border from the Ukrainian side,” stated Putin. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) mentioned that these armed individuals had connections in Ukraine and were apprehended close to the frontier.
In February 2022, Putin initiated a comprehensive military operation in Ukraine, which he referred to as a “special military operation.” He justified this move by stating it was essential for safeguarding Russia and the Russian-speaking population in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claims that Putin is attempting to shift responsibility for the concert hall incident by mentioning Ukraine.
The militant organization, previously aiming to govern vast regions in Iraq and Syria, asserted responsibility for the assault through a Telegram declaration from their Amaq agency. Over the weekend, Daesh shared on its Telegram platforms what they claimed to be video documentation of the incident.
In a video released by Russian media and Telegram channels with strong connections to the Kremlin, one of the alleged perpetrators claimed he was paid to execute the attack. The suspect, with his hands tied and hair held by an interrogator, spoke in broken and heavily accented Russian while a boot pressed against his chin.
When inquired about his motives, he responded, “For money.” He mentioned receiving a promise of around 500,000 roubles, equivalent to more than $5,000. Another suspect was shown answering questions through a Tajik translator. However, unverified footage shared on Russian Telegram channels seemingly depicted one of the suspects being subjected to electric shocks in custody. Reuters could not confirm the video’s authenticity.
“There is no participation from Ukraine”
The United States government, through the White House, revealed that it provided Russia with information regarding a planned attack in Moscow earlier this month. Additionally, on March 7, a public advisory was issued to American citizens in Russia. The statement attributed sole responsibility for the attack to Daesh and emphasized that there was no Ukrainian involvement whatsoever, as confirmed by US National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson.
Russian authorities have taken offense at the early US public statements regarding the attack and insist that Russian investigators should be permitted to independently conduct their own inquiry.
