Moscow:
Russia today said that the terrorists who attacked the concert hall in Moscow used automatic weapons and “flammable liquid” to create chaos. The attackers set the building on fire after a shooting rampage that killed 115 people. Investigators also believe that the attackers had links to Ukraine.
“After committing the terrorist attack, the criminals intended to cross the Russian-Ukrainian border, and had appropriate contacts on the Ukrainian side,” the state-run TASS news agency quoted the Federal Security Service (FSB) as saying after it announced 11 arrests over the attack.
The Attack
Four attackers, camouflaged and armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles, arrived at the Crocus City Hall at around 7.40 pm in a minivan. They began shooting civilians at point-blank range with automatic weapons.
They shot people through the glass doors near the entrance turnstiles to the venue, witnesses said, then moved on towards the concert hall itself.
The attackers were shown on videos from the scene methodically shooting at concertgoers as people rushed for the exits.
“Suddenly there were bangs behind us – shots. A burst of firing – I do not know what,” one witness, who asked not to be identified by name, told Reuters.
“A stampede began. Everyone ran to the escalator,” the witness said. “Everyone was screaming; everyone was running.”
Other videos from the scenes showed people taking their seats in the hall, then rushing for the exits as repeated gunfire echoed above screams.
The attackers then set fire to the concert hall pouring a flammable liquid on the curtains and chairs.
The fire, which spread across nearly 13,000 square metres took hours to contain. The roof of the concert hall collapsed.
Death Count
Authorities have said that 115 people have been killed in the attack, but the death count could be higher. Russia’s Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said the number killed was climbing towards 150.
“At the moment, it has been established that 115 people are dead. The death toll is expected to rise,” it said in a statement published on Telegram.
Islamic State Claims Responsibility
The Islamic State group, which once sought control over swathes of Iraq and Syria, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
“Islamic State fighters attacked a large gathering of Christians in the city of Krasnogorsk on the outskirts of the Russian capital, Moscow, killing and wounding hundreds and causing great destruction to the place before they withdrew to their bases safely,” the group said in a statement on its Telegram.
The incident comes just weeks after the US warned Russia of an imminent attack on Moscow by extremists. Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly dismissed the warnings three days ago calling it propaganda designed to scare Russian citizens.
The Ukraine Link
Russian intelligence said that the attackers and contacts in Ukraine, a country which has been facing a Russian military offensive for the past two years. Authorities said that the attackers were trying to flee to Ukraine when they were arrested.
“The criminals intended to cross the Russian-Ukrainian border, and had appropriate contacts on the Ukrainian side,” Russia’s FBS said.
Ukraine though has denied this and said it had “nothing to do” with the attack.
The main intelligence directorate of the Ukrainian defence ministry said “The terrorist attack in Moscow was a planned and deliberate provocation by the Russian special services on Putin’s orders,” alleging that the aim was to “further escalate and expand the war” with Ukraine.