Moscow concert hall shooting updates

The United Nations Security Council on Friday condemned what it called the “heinous and cowardly terrorist attack” at a concert hall in Moscow.

- Reuters

The United States has intelligence confirming Islamic State’s claim of responsibility for a deadly shooting at a concert near Moscow, a U.S. official said.

- Reuters

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the attack on Friday at a concert hall near Moscow, calling it a “terrorist attack.”

Macron, in a statement, said he “firmly condemns this terrorist attack, claimed by the Islamic State.”

He said in the statement that France stands in solidarity with the victims of the shooting.

- Reuters

The death toll in the shooting incident near Moscow has risen to 62 people according to preliminary information, says Russia’s Baza news outlet.

- Reuters

French President Emmanuel Macron condemns “terrorism in all its forms” following Moscow shooting.

- Reuters

60 of the over 100 people injured in the Moscow concert hall shooting are in a severe condition. 

- Reuters

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned “in the strongest possible terms” an attack at a concert hall near Moscow that killed at least 40 people, a spokesperson said.

“The Secretary-General conveys his deep condolences to the bereaved families and the people and the Government of the Russian Federation. He wishes those injured a speedy recovery,” Deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said in a statement.

- Reuters

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned an “odious act of terrorism” after a Moscow concert attack that Russian authorities said killed 40 and injured more than 100.

“The horror of the massacre of innocent civilians in Moscow is unacceptable,” Meloni said in a statement, expressing her “full solidarity with the affected people and the victims’ families”.

- AFP

France condemned an “odious” attack by gunmen on a concert in Moscow that left dozens dead and more than 100 injured, demanding a full investigation into the events.

“The images from Moscow tonight are horrifying. Our thoughts go to the victims and to those injured as well as to the Russian people,” the French foreign ministry wrote on X.

“All effort has to be made to determine the cause of these odious acts,” it added.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a deadly gun attack on a Moscow concert hall, which Russian authorities said killed at least 40 people.

IS fighters “attacked a large gathering... on the outskirts of the Russian capital Moscow”, the group said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app.

The IS statement said the attackers had “retreated to their bases safely”.

- AFP

Spain said it was “shocked” by an attack on a Moscow concert that Russian authorities said left at least 40 dead and 100 injured, saying it “condemns any form of violence”.

“We are dismayed by the news from Russia. Our solidarity is with the victims, their families and the Russian people. Spain condemns any form of violence,” the Spanish foreign ministry wrote on X.

The European Union said it had been “shocked and appalled” by an attack on a Moscow concert that Russian authorities said left at least 40 dead and 100 injured.

The EU “is shocked and appalled by the reports of a terrorist attack in the Crocus City Hall in Moscow,” said a spokesman for the bloc. “The EU condemns any attacks against civilians. Our thoughts are with all those Russian citizens affected.”

- AFP

The main intelligence directorate of the Ukrainian defence ministry accused Russian secret services of planning the deadly attack on a concert hall near Moscow.

“The terrorist attack in Moscow was a planned and deliberate provocation by the Russian special services on (Vladimir) Putin’s orders,” the service said on Telegram, adding that the aim was to “further escalate and expand the war” with Ukraine.

- AFP

Russia will find and destroy Ukraine’s top officials if they are linked to the gun attack outside Moscow that left dozens dead on March 22, former president Dmitry Medvedev said.

“If it is established that these are terrorists of the Kyiv regime ... all of them must be found and ruthlessly destroyed as terrorists,” Mr. Medvedev wrote in a post on Telegram, adding that “official representatives of the state that committed such a crime” would also be punished.

Russian authorities said at least 40 people were killed and 100 wounded in a gun attack on a concert hall in the Moscow suburbs.

- AFP

Russian President Vladimir Putin is receiving regular updates about the shooting at the Crocus City Hall concert near Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

“Vladimir Putin was informed about the beginning of the shooting in the first minutes of what happened in Crocus City Hall,” the Kremlin said.

“The president constantly receives information about what is happening and about the measures being taken through all relevant services. The head of state gave all the necessary instructions,” Mr. Peskov said.

- Reuters

The U.S. embassy in Russia had issued a security alert on March 7 advising U.S. citizens to avoid large gatherings.

“The Embassy is monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and U.S. citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours”, the statement said.

A group of Russian citizens fighting on the side of Ukraine denied any responsibility for the attack on a concert hall near Moscow.

The Freedom of Russia Legion, whose fighters are part of Ukraine’s armed forces, said in a statement that “the Legion is not at war with peaceful Russians” and accused Russian security forces of planning the attack.

Ukraine had ‘nothing to do’ with a gun attack on a concert hall outside Moscow on Friday, presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak said on Telegram.

“Regarding the events in Crocus City in the Russian suburbs, where certain events took place today, some shooting, some terrorist actions by unidentified persons, let’s be clear, Ukraine absolutely has nothing to do with these events,” he said.

- AFP

Russia’s Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said that it had opened an investigation into an act of terror after gunmen attacked a concert hall just outside Moscow.

Investigators said in a statement on Telegram that they had “opened a criminal probe under article 205 of the criminal code (terrorist act)“.

- AFP

At least 40 people were killed and more than 100 injured in the attack on a concert hall outside Moscow, Russia’s Federal Security Service said.

“According to preliminary information, 40 people were killed and more than 100 were injured as a result of a terrorist attack in the Crocus City Hall,” the Interfax news agency reported, citing the FSB.

- AFP

The roof of the concert hall where the shooting happened is collapsing, Russian news RIA reported.

Eighteen people have been killed and forty-three injured in a shooting incident at the Crocus City Hall concert venue near Moscow, Russian media outlet Baza reported.

- Reuters

“The Russian Foreign Ministry is receiving phone calls with condolences from ordinary citizens from all around the globe following the horrible tragedy at the Krokus City Hall venue in Moscow. They are expressing the strongest condemnation of this bloody terrorist attack, transpiring right before the eyes of the entire world,” Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said. 

“As the Russian authorities have already stated, all efforts at the current moment are devoted to saving the people [still at the site of the attack],” she added.

All large-scale sporting, cultural and other public events will be cancelled in Moscow this weekend after a shooting incident, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.

The shooting happened at the Crocus City Hall concert venue near Moscow on Friday night. Blasts were heard from the building which is engulfed in flames.

- Reuters

Russia condemned “a bloody terrorist attack” after a deadly shooting and fire at a Moscow concert hall.

“The entire world community must condemn this despicable crime!”, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on Telegram. The FSB security service reported the attack left dead and wounded.

- AFP

Helicopter is trying to extinguish the fire at the concert hall in Moscow, Russian news agency TASS reported

- Reuters

A second explosion has been heard at Crocus City Hall near Moscow, the site of a shooting incident, Russian news agencies reported.

Russian authorities said they had stepped up security measures at Moscow airports and railway stations, agencies reported.

- AFP

Around 100 people were evacuated from the basement of a Moscow concert hall building where a shooting and fire erupted on Friday, emergency services said as they tried to reach others sheltering on the roof.

“Around 100 people have been evacuated from the basement by the firefighters. Work is ongoing to save people from the roof of the building with lifting equipment,” the Moscow region’s emergency situations ministry wrote on Telegram.

- AFP

The White House said it had no indication that Ukraine, which is fighting an invasion by Russia, was involved in a deadly attack on concert hall in Moscow.

“There is no indication at this time that Ukraine, or Ukrainians were involved in the shooting,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. “I would disabuse you at this early hour of any connection to Ukraine.”

- AFP

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called on the international community to condemn a shooting incident at a concert hall near Moscow, calling it “a monstrous crime.” 

- Reuters

The White House said on March 22 that images of shooting in the Russian capital were “horrible and just hard to watch”.