Moscow Attack: Russia mourns the aftermath of the deadliest terrorist attack in Moscow in over twenty years, with the death toll now confirmed at 133, Al-Jazeera reported. The incident occurred at the crowded Crocus City Hall, where armed assailants opened fire and triggered explosions during a music event. As of now, Russian authorities have arrested four suspects, with President Vladimir Putin asserting they were captured while attempting to flee to Ukraine.
Top Points:
- Amidst the grief, Kyiv vehemently denied involvement in the assault, while the Islamic State group's Afghanistan branch claimed responsibility.
- Russian President Putin, in his address to the nation, refrained from mentioning IS, which prompted accusations from Kyiv of falsely implicating Ukraine to fuel support for Russia's ongoing conflict, which has recently entered its third year.
- Describing the attack as a "bloody, barbaric terrorist act," Putin pledged to bring all perpetrators to justice and vowed cooperation with nations committed to combating international terrorism. "All perpetrators, organisers, and those who ordered this crime will face just and inevitable punishment. Whoever they are, whoever is leading them," Putin stated.
- "We will identify and punish everyone who stands behind the terrorists, who prepared this atrocity, this strike against Russia, against our people," he added.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticised Putin's attempts to shift blame, describing them as predictable deflection tactics. "It's obvious that Putin and other thugs are just trying to blame someone else," he said. "Their methods are consistently the same. We've seen it all before—destroyed buildings, shootings, explosions. They always find someone else to blame.
- He went on to say, "All of this happened yesterday, and instead of caring for and addressing his Russian citizens, this duffer Putin remained silent for a day, thinking about how to link this to Ukraine. "Everything is completely predictable.
- According to Reuters, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman described Zelenskiy as "the only head of state crazy enough to blame Russia for the terrorist attack".
- An Associated Press report said that the authorities fear the death toll, currently at 133, may rise further. The attack deals a significant blow to Putin, occurring shortly after his re-election and amidst a severe crackdown on dissent.
- The US condemns the attack, referring to ISIS as a common enemy that must be defeated globally. In a statement, White House Press Secretary Karine Jeane-Pierre described ISIS as a "common terrorist enemy" that must be defeated everywhere.
- "The United States strongly condemns the heinous terrorist attack on Moscow. We send our heartfelt condolences to those who have lost loved ones, as well as those who have been injured or affected by these unconscionable attacks on innocent civilians. ISIS is a common terrorist enemy that must be defeated everywhere," the statement by Peirre said.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condemned the terror attack, saying on X, "We strongly condemn the heinous terrorist attack in Moscow. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims. In this time of grief, India stands in solidarity with the Russian Federation's government and people".
- While the two blamed each other for the attacks, Russia claimed a new territorial victory over Ukrainian forces that were having difficulty locating weapons and personnel. Russia's military forces announced that they had taken control of the Ukrainian village of Ivanivske, which is just west of Bakhmut, the destroyed city that was captured ten months ago, following a militant attack on a Moscow concert hall that became a new flashpoint issue between the bitter enemies.