Armed men burst into the Crocus City Hall near Moscow on Friday, March 22, 2024, killing at least 93 people and injuring many dozens more in the deadliest attack in Russia since the 2004 Beslan school siege.
The men, armed with Kalashnikov automatic weapons, arrived at the Crocus City Hall at around 7:40pm (1640 GMT) in a minivan. Russian media said there were up to five men.
Federal Security Service (FSB) Director, Alexander Bortnikov, informed President Vladimir Putin that there were four attackers, the Kremlin said.
They began shooting civilians at point-blank range. They shot people through the glass doors near the entrance turnstiles to the venue, witnesses said, then moved on towards the concert hall itself.
Videos showed the men shooting screaming civilians with automatic weapons. Bodies were then seen motionless.
As people took their seats for a concert by rock group “Picnic”, shooting could be heard inside the 6,200-seat hall where all the tickets had been sold out.
Ukraine said it is impossible not to sympathise with the victims of the terrorist attack, but it is important to note that the responsibility for the terrorist attack in Moscow lies entirely with Putin’s regime. Western special services warned of possible terrorist attacks. The Russian authorities publicly flouted these warnings. The Russia’s FSB has already organised mass terrorist attacks previously on Russian territory to achieve Putin’s political goals. It was said that Putin’s regime has inherent contempt for human life, including the lives of Russians.
Ukraine claimed that the Russian Federation maintains close relations with the Taliban. In fact, the Kremlin is one of the Taliban’s key strongholds. The Russian Federation justifies the activities of Hamas, which started the war in Israel with a terrorist attack. The Russian Federation is one of the main global advocates of the Houthis, who are destabilizing the situation in the Red Sea. Russian mercenaries are actively involved in conflicts in Africa.
“Since the war started over two years ago, Putin kills Ukrainians every day with rocket strikes on Ukrainian cities. Terror against Ukraine continues and no one can turn a blind eye to this.
“No doubt, the terrorist attack in the suburbs of Moscow emphasised that Putin will kill Russians in the same way as he kills Ukrainians, if he deems it necessary. Many have said terror is Putin’s tool amd this should be remembered even when Russians become victims of terror.
“Terror must be stopped and it can only be achieved when Putin is stopped
Russians, if the election results are to be believed, support Putin. The population of Russia must understand what price it pays for the ambitions of its ruler.
“If Putin stays in power, tragedies like Crocus City Hall will continue,” it said.
Ukraine strongly condemned any terrorist activity, the one that may have been conducted by Putin against Ukraine, the one conducted by terrorists in the interests of Putin or in the interests of Putin’s opponents.
“Whatever Russian propaganda says, Ukraine is not involved in terrorist attacks in the Russian Federation. The world must unite against terrorism and condemnation of terror should not turn into support for the terrorist,” it added.
