By Karabo Ngoepe and Reuters
The world has reacted with shock following the attack on Russian concertgoers by gunmen who killed over 110 people. Various international leaders and organisations have condemned the attack.
While the world condemned the attack by Camouflage-clad gunmen who opened fire with automatic weapons on concertgoers at a hall near Moscow on Friday resulting in fatalities and large scores of injured, Russian authorities worked swiftly to apprehend those responsible.
By Saturday afternoon, Reuters reported that 11 people had been arrested, including four suspected gunmen. The FSB security service said “all four terrorists” had been arrested while heading to the Ukrainian border, and that they had contacts in Ukraine. It said they were being transferred to Moscow.
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“Now we know in which country these bloody bastards planned to hide from pursuit – Ukraine,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Telegram.
A senior Russian lawmaker, Andrei Kartapolov, said that if Ukraine was involved, then Russia must deliver a “worthy, clear and concrete” reply on the battlefield.
The Kingdom of Eswatini conveyed condolences to the Russian nation following the attack. Acting Prime Minister Manqoba Khumalo on Saturday said: “I have it in command by His Majesty King Mswati III, to extend our deepest condolences on behalf of His Majesty King Mswati III, Her Majesty the Queen Mother, the Government and People of the Kingdom of Eswatini, to the Government and People of the Russian Federation on the loss of at least 93 lives and the injury of more than 140 others in a concert in Moscow.”
Khumalo said the nation prays for the deceased’s families and friends and hopes the Almighty God will comfort them during this moment of great loss.
“We further pray for the swift recovery of all of those that have been wounded. While our Government stands in solidarity with the Government and the People of the Russian Federation, we call for stronger international collaboration to fight against terrorism and to find lasting solutions to these senseless killings of innocent civilians by organizations who claim martyrdom in such brutal acts of terror,” he said.
These are some of the reactions from the rest of the world.
UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL
“The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack at a concert hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region, the Russian Federation, on 22 March 2024.
“The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice.”
WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN JOHN KIRBY
“The images are just horrible and just hard to watch, and our thoughts obviously are going to be with the victims of this terrible, terrible shooting attack.”
RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESWOMAN MARIA ZAKHAROVA
“The entire world community is obliged to condemn this monstrous crime. All efforts are being thrown at saving people.”
UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER MYKHAILO PODOLYAK
“Let’s be straight about this: Ukraine had absolutely nothing to do with these events.
“We have a full-scale, all-out war with the Russian regular army and with the Russian Federation as a country. And regardless of everything, everything will be decided on the battlefield.”
YULIA NAVALNAYA, WIDOW OF RUSSIAN OPPOSITION LEADER ALEXEI NAVALNY
“All those involved in this crime must be found and brought to justice.”
ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER GIORGIA MELONI
“The horror of the massacre of innocent civilians in Moscow is unacceptable. Firm and total condemnation of the Italian government for this heinous act of terrorism.”
FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTRY
“The images coming out of Moscow are terrible. Our thoughts go out to the victims and injured and to the Russian people.
“Light must be shed on these odious acts.”
GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTRY
“The images of the horrific attack on innocent people at Crocus City Hall near Moscow are horrific. The background must be clarified quickly. Our deepest condolences go out to the families of the victims.”
INDIAN PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI
“We strongly condemn the heinous terrorist attack in Moscow. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims. India stands in solidarity with the government and the people of the Russian Federation in this hour of grief.”
VENEZUELAN FOREIGN MINISTER YVAN GIL
“We express our strongest condemnation of the armed attack that has been carried out against civilians today in Moscow in the exhibition centre Crocus City Hall. We send out condolences to the families of the victims and we stand in solidarity with the Russian government.”
CUBAN PRESIDENT MIGUEL DIAZ-CANEL
“Cuba condemns the atrocious terrorist act that occurred in Moscow. Our sincerest condolences to the government and people of Russia.”
U.S. REPUBLICAN SENATOR MITT ROMNEY
“The intentional targeting and murder of civilians is vile and evil regardless of the perpetrators – Putin against Ukrainians and terrorists against the Russians. Today’s massacre in Moscow is tragic.”
Meanwhile, State TV editor Margarita Simonyan published a video of one of the suspects, a young bearded man, being interrogated by the side of a road. She said the death toll had climbed to 143 but did not give the source of her information.
Russia’s Investigative Committee earlier said at least 115 had died in the attack. It said some died from gunshot wounds and others in a huge fire that broke out in the complex. Reports said the gunmen had lit the blaze using petrol from canisters they carried in rucksacks.
People fled in panic. Baza, a news outlet with good contacts in Russian security and law enforcement, said 28 bodies were found in a toilet and 14 on a staircase. “Many mothers were found embracing their children,” it said.
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The Kremlin said FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov had reported to President Vladimir Putin that those detained included “four terrorists” and that the service was working to identify their accomplices.
Russian lawmaker Alexander Khinshtein said the attackers had fled in a Renault vehicle that was spotted by police in Bryansk region, about 340 km (210 miles) southwest of Moscow on Friday night and disobeyed instructions to stop.
He said two were arrested after a car chase and two others fled into a forest. From the Kremlin account, it appeared they too were later detained.
Khinshtein said a pistol, a magazine for an assault rifle, and passports from Tajikistan were found in the car. Tajikistan is a mainly Muslim Central Asian state that used to be part of the Soviet Union.
SUSPECT INTERROGATED
The suspect in the interrogation video was shown replying in heavily accented Russian to a series of barked questions. He said he had flown from Turkey on March 4 and had received instructions from unknown people via Telegram to attack in exchange for money.
The man was trembling throughout the questioning. He was initially shown lying on his stomach with his hands bound behind his back, his chin resting on the boot of a figure in a camouflage uniform. Later he was hauled up onto his knees.
US has intelligence confirming Islamic State responsibility for Russia attack, officials say
The United States has intelligence confirming Islamic State’s claim of responsibility for a deadly shooting at a concert near Moscow, two U.S. officials said on Friday.
The officials said the United States had warned Russia in recent weeks about the possibility of an attack.
“Earlier this month, the U.S. government had information about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow – potentially targeting large gatherings, to include concerts – which prompted the State Department to issue a public advisory to Americans in Russia,” said Adrienne Watson, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council. “The U.S. government also shared this information with Russian authorities in accordance with its longstanding ‘duty to warn’ policy.”
The Islamic State, the militant group that once sought control over swathes of Iraq and Syria, claimed responsibility for the attack, the group’s Amaq agency said on Telegram.
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“We did warn the Russians appropriately,” one of the U.S. officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The U.S. embassy in Russia warned on March 8 that “extremists” had imminent plans for an attack in Moscow, hours after Russian security services said they had foiled a planned shooting at a synagogue by a cell of Islamic State.
The embassy, which has repeatedly urged all U.S. citizens to leave Russia immediately, gave no further details about the nature of the threat but said people should avoid concerts and crowds and be aware of their surroundings.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has triggered the deepest crisis in Russia’s relations with the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.
The Kremlin, which accuses the U.S. of fighting against Russia by supporting Ukraine with money, weapons and intelligence, says relations with Washington have probably never been worse.
