According to Russian officials, ISIS claimed responsibility for the devastating attack at Moscow’s Crocus City Hall on Friday evening, which killed at least 60 people and injured over 145 others.
Gunmen opened fire on the hall, one of Russia’s largest shopping and entertainment complexes, and a major fire broke out after the shooting, quickly engulfing the complex, according to the Russian Foreign Security Service.
Later that evening, ISIS issued a statement saying that their forces “attacked” a “big gathering for Christians in the Russian Moscow suburb,” hurting “hundreds” and causing “major destruction.”
Russia’s foreign ministry described the incident as a “terrorist attack.” It is Central Russia’s largest terror assault in terms of casualties since the Domodedovo airport bombing in January 2011, which killed 37 people and injured 172 more.
The attack began at 8 p.m. local time, when a group of at least five shooters stormed the facility during a concert by the band Picnic and opened fire with automatic firearms, according to Russian news agency RIA Novosti.
Moscow Region Governor Andrei Vorobyov reported dispatching more than 70 ambulances to the attack scene. Two firefighting helicopters are also on the site, attempting to extinguish the fire, which has spread throughout a broad region, according to Vorobyov.
Health Minister Mikhail Murashko reported that at least 115 individuals, including five children, received hospitalization for their injuries. The health minister reported that one child and 60 people are in serious condition.
According to Russian news agency Interfax, the roof has partially collapsed and the majority of the building is on fire.
The source of the fire is uncertain; however, unsubstantiated indications indicate an explosion within the music hall.
A US official informed ABC News that the US provided intelligence to Russia regarding the danger of an impending threat from the Islamic State terrorist group (ISIS), which was related to the security alert issued by the US embassy in Moscow two weeks ago.
Another US official stated that the government finds no reason to question ISIS’s claim of credit for the attacks.
The incident at Crocus City Hall forced the cancellation of public events in Podolsk, near Moscow, according to the district’s president. The mayor of Moscow has also cancelled all “sports, cultural, and other mass events” in Moscow for the weekend.
The Kremlin stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin was informed of the incident when it began and has been receiving constant updates.
In a post on X, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denied that Ukraine was involved in the incident. Two pro-Ukrainian Russian armed organizations that just crossed the border into Russia have also denied involvement in the attack.
The White House is aware of the situation in Moscow but has little information at this time, according to National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby.
“The photos are simply terrible. It’s simply heartbreaking to watch, and our prayers will undoubtedly be with the victims of this terrible, horrific massacre,” Kirby said.
Kirby also reaffirmed the State Department’s caution to all Americans in Moscow to avoid big gatherings, adding, “They should stay put where they are and stay plugged into the State Department for any additional updates and information.”
The U.S. Embassy in Moscow stated on Telegram Friday that it is “horrified by reports of the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall venue in Moscow.”
The statement goes on to say: “We offer our sincere condolences to the Russian people for the lives lost and to those injured in tonight’s attack.”
On March 7, the US Embassy in Moscow issued a warning to US citizens to avoid big gatherings for 48 hours, citing radicals’ “imminent plans” to target large-scale rallies in Moscow.
