Moscow attack: From excitement to nightmare, how the terror unfolded

A group attack killed more than 60 people and injured 145 others On Friday night, gunmen wearing camouflage uniforms broke into Moscow’s Krokus City Hall.and fired into the crowd. The Islamic State news agency “Amaq” confirmed in a brief statement on Telegram that the group had claimed responsibility for the attack.

The group said in a statement that the attack killed and injured “hundreds” of people and “caused massive damage to the area before they were safely withdrawn to their base,” The Guardian reported.

Videos flooded social media showing gunmen opening fire on concertgoers as they prepared for the famous Russian rock band Picnic to perform on stage. Video showed loud gunshots ringing out in the cavernous hall as people screamed and huddled, hiding behind cushioned seats. Russian media said the attacker fled the scene in a white Renault car.

How a terrorist attack unfolds

• Crocus Town Hall, a large complex of concert halls and shopping malls, was packed with thousands of people taking their seats before a concert by Soviet-era rock band Picnic. Tickets for the concert hall, which can accommodate 6,200 people, are all sold out.
• Panic erupted before the show began, with videos showing people screaming and hiding behind cushioned seats as gunshots echoed through the cavernous concert hall. They can be seen clumsily jumping over seats seeking shelter.
• Several gunmen dressed in camouflage and combat fatigues broke into Krokus City Hall and opened fire on the crowd. Russian media reported that the armed men also used explosives such as “hand grenades or incendiary bombs”, causing a large-scale fire in the building complex. CNN’s geolocated video showed an armed man lighting at least one fire in the lobby. Videos on social media showed thick smoke rising over the building.
• “Suddenly there was a loud bang behind us – gunfire,” and a stampede broke out as everyone ran toward the escalator, an unnamed witness told Reuters. “Everyone was screaming; everyone was running,” the witness added. Prolonged gunshots could be heard in multiple videos on Russian social media channels.
• Russian special forces and emergency services personnel arrived at the scene to control the situation. The roof of Crocus City Hall collapsed and at least 100 people were evacuated. According to Russian media reports, as many as 70 ambulances were sent to the scene. According to the latest news, the roof has completely collapsed.

response to attack

Friday’s concert hall attack was one of Russia’s deadliest deaths since the 2004 Beslan school massacre, which killed more than 300 people, including 186 children.

Russia has beefed up security at airports, transport hubs and the capital Moscow, home to more than 21 million people. According to Reuters, all large public events across the country have been cancelled.

The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was re-elected on Sunday to start a new six-year term, was informed of the attack within the first minutes of the attack and was being continuously updated. The state-run RIA Novosti news agency said Putin wished the injured a speedy recovery and “conveyed his gratitude to the doctors.”

Russia’s accusations

Russia did not immediately blame anyone for the attack, but former president Dmitry Medvedev said Ukrainian leaders found to be involved would be “destroyed,” The Guardian reported.The country also Accused the United States of withholding information about Ukrainian involvement in the attack. The reaction came after the White House said on Friday there was no initial indication that Ukraine, which has been embroiled in a war with Russia since 2020, was involved in the “horrific” concert attack.