SBU dismisses demand as pointless and hypocritical, ‘coming from the terrorist state itself’
Russia has demanded that Ukraine extradite a number of people, including the head of the country’s SBU security service, over claims they are connected with “terrorist” acts.
The SBU immediately dismissed the Russian demand as “pointless” and said the Russian foreign ministry had “forgotten” that Vladimir Putin was the subject of an international arrest warrant.
Continue reading...State investigations say they have received numerous reports as officials repeat claims that Ukraine and west involved in assault
The final death toll from the Moscow concert hall terrorist attack could be much higher than 140 confirmed dead, with Russian state investigations saying they have received 143 reports about people who had gone missing.
The investigative committee said in a statement that 84 bodies had so far been identified.
Continue reading...Attack on energy infrastructure on last week still causing blackouts; Poland’s deputy foreign minister warns Russia of consequences if missiles enter territory. This live blog is closed
The Kremlin has refused to be drawn on whether it believed there was a link between the Ukrainian leadership and Friday’s Moscow concert hall attack, in which at least 139 people were killed.
Asked during a call with reporters whether there was a direct link between Ukraine and the attack, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: “I have nothing to add to what has already been said on this topic.”
Continue reading...Limited details have emerged about background of Muhammadsobir Fayzov and three other Tajik men accused of carrying out atrocity
Former colleagues and clients at the small barber shop where Muhammadsobir Fayzov once worked were stunned when they saw the news.
They knew the 19-year-old as a promising, hard-working stylist, and saw no signs that he and three other Tajik gunmen would be accused of committing last Friday’s bloodbath at a concert city hall in Moscow.
Continue reading...Footage of four gunmen appears to support Islamic State’s claim that it masterminded the worst terrorist attack in Russia in two decades. But the Kremlin has put Ukraine in the frame. Andrew Roth reports
The attack on Crocus concert hall near Moscow was the worst act of terrorism carried out in Russia in more than 20 years. More than 130 people were killed after gunmen stormed the venue on Friday night.
Islamic State quickly claimed responsibility for the attack and provided additional video footage of the massacre.
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Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s former president and prime minister, discussed the suspects charged over the terrorist attack on the Crocus City concert hall on his Telegram channel on Monday.
“Everyone asks me. What to do? They were caught. Well done to everyone who caught it,” he wrote.
Continue reading...Russians lay flowers and light candles outside Crocus concert hall on day of mourning. This live blog is closed
Pope Francis has condemned the shooting attack at the concert hall near Moscow as a “vile” act that offends God.
“I assure my prayers for the victims of the vile terrorist attack carried out in Moscow, may the Lord receive them in his peace, comfort their families and convert the hearts of those who … carry out these inhuman actions that offend God,” the pope said in St. Peter’s Square after the Palm Sunday mass.
I think we have very little confidence in anything the Russian government says.
We know that they are creating a smokescreen of propaganda to defend an utterly evil invasion of Ukraine.
Continue reading...Footage of gunmen reinforces Islamic State’s claim to have masterminded worst terror attack on Russia in two decades
Four suspects have appeared in court in Moscow charged over the terrorist attack on the Crocus City concert hall on Friday that left 137 people dead.
The men were officially identified as citizens of Tajikistan, the Tass state news agency said, and were remanded in custody for two months at Sunday’s hearing.
Continue reading...This blog has now closed. You can read our full report on the attack on Crocus City Hall in Moscow here
State-owned media RIA reports that so many people have turned up to donate blood after the attack that the Buyanov hospital in Moscow has had to ask people to return in the following days.
Maia Sandu, the president of Moldova, has posted to social media to say that they were “terrible images” at the scene of the attack. She said “Moldova condemns all forms of terrorism. Our thoughts are with those who lost loved ones and the injured.”
Continue reading...The ISKP regional affiliate has a haven in Afghanistan and carried out recent bombings in Iran, suggesting it has capacity for major atrocities
Speculation about who carried out the shooting at the Crocus City Hall in Moscow has quickly indicated that the terror attack will have outsized political implications in Russia and abroad.
A claim has surfaced that the attack was carried out by Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) a regional affiliate of the IS terrorist organisation. IS has been implicated in some of Russia’s largest recent terror attacks, including the 2017 bombing in the St Petersburg metro that killed 15 and injured 45.
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The roof of Crocus City Hall where gunfire and flames were heard and seen on Friday night is collapsing, RIA reports.
Here are videos emerging through social media:
Continue reading...At least 133 people killed and scores wounded, according to authorities, after gunmen opened fire at Crocus City Hall. Islamic State has claimed responsibility
Scores of people have reportedly been killed and many wounded in an attack at a concert venue near Moscow.
Here is what we know about the shooting so far:
Vladimir Putin has told the Russian people that Ukraine is linked to the Crocus City Hall terror attack on Friday night that killed at least 133 people. In a video address lasting five-and-a-half minutes, the newly re-elected Russian president said Russian security forces believed they had apprehended all four direct participants in the attack, who were caught heading for Ukraine, which was preparing to receive them over the border. Kyiv has rubbished the claims. Eleven people have been detained in total.
Islamic State has claimed it carried out the attack, which Putin did not mention in his address. He described it as a “bloody, barbaric terrorist act” and said the victims were “dozens of peaceful, innocent people – our compatriots, including children, teenagers, and women”. He said the Russian Federation would “identify and punish everyone who prepared the terrorist attack”.
Ukraine has denied any link to the attack. Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said attempts to connect the two were “absolutely untenable”. He said: “Ukraine has not the slightest connection to this incident. Ukraine has a full-scale war with Russia and will solve the problem of Russia’s aggression on the battlefield.” Neither Putin nor the FSB publicly presented any proof of a link with Ukraine.
107 people remain in hospital after the attack, including three children, one of whom is described as being in a critical condition. After a drive to receive blood donations in Moscow, the deputy prime minister, Tatyana Golikova, said there was enough “medicine, blood, and dressing materials”. Moscow authorities have said they will pay compensation to those affected, and arrange funerals for those killed.
Putin has declared Sunday a day of national mourning. People have been laying flowers and toys as a tribute to the victims at the site of the attack, and outside Russian embassies all around the world.
Images from inside the venue show that the auditorium has been completely gutted by fire and the roof has collapsed. Russian authorities say people died both from gunshot wounds and the effects of the fire.
The terrorist attack has been widely condemned around the world. David Cameron, Britain’s foreign secretary; Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, French president Emmanuel Macron, US secretary of state Antony Blinken, and Nato have been among those condemning the attack and offering condolences. Putin spoke to the leaders of Belarus and Uzbekistan by phone. Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, also offered his support, saying terrorism was “the common enemy of humanity”.
Reports that Islamic State carried out the attack appear credible to many. Several security analysts said that the claim of responsibility by the Islamic State for the massacre of Russian concertgoers appears to be plausible and fits with a pattern of previous marauding attacks by Islamist militants.
Moscow had been warned. US intelligence gathered information just over two weeks ago that ISPK, a branch of the Islamic State group based in Afghanistan, was eyeing Russia for a terrorist attack. The US embassy in Moscow had said it was “monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts”. The unusually clear public alert was repeated by the UK.
Zelenskiy speaks out. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address on Saturday that Vladimir Putin was seeking ways to divert blame for the massacre at the concert hall near Moscow on Friday. He said it was “absolutely predictable” that Putin had remained silent until the day after the attack before accusing Ukraine of being involved.
Continue reading...Islamic State claims responsibility after gunmen in combat gear opened fire and reportedly set off explosives at Crocus City Hall
At least 115 people have been killed and 145 wounded in Russia’s worst terror attack in years, as gunmen in combat fatigues opened fire and detonated explosives in a major concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow.
Russian media say authorities have detained 11 people.
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