- Date of Attack: The attack occurred on March 23, 2024 at the Crocus City Hall, a popular concert venue complex near Moscow.
- Casualties: The brutal attack resulted in the loss of at least 137 lives, making it Russia’s deadliest attack in two decades.
- Detentions: Authorities have detained nearly a dozen individuals in connection with the assault.
- Perpetrators: The assailants stormed the concert venue complex, carrying out the attack with guns and incendiary devices.
Responsibility for the attack was claimed by ISIS through a brief statement released by the ISIS-affiliated Amaq news agency on Telegram. This incident stands as the deadliest in Russia since the Beslan school siege of 2004.
Thousands of mourners from various Russian cities gathered to pay respects at a memorial outside the Crocus City Hall near Moscow, despite the rain. Flowers and white balloons adorned the scene, while members of the clergy led prayers and lowered flags to half-staff.
Among the mourners was Alexander Matveev, 37, who expressed concerns about security in Russia and the possibility of future attacks. President Vladimir Putin also paid his respects by lighting a candle in a church at his Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow.
Putin, in his address to the nation, declared the day of mourning, condemning the attack as a “bloody and barbaric act” and attributing it to “international terrorism.”
The four suspected gunmen were apprehended near the border on Saturday, although their nationalities remain undisclosed. Ukraine vehemently denied any involvement, dismissing the accusations as Kremlin-led propaganda to incite anti-Ukrainian sentiment.
A graphic video purportedly showing the attack was released by Amaq on Saturday, suggesting a direct link between the perpetrators and ISIS. The Russian Investigative Committee updated the death toll to 137, including three children, with ongoing efforts to identify the remaining victims through genetic examinations.
Russian state news agency RIA Novosti indicated that molecular genetic examination might be necessary in certain cases, which could extend the identification process by at least two weeks.