On April 19, 2024, armed men stormed a Crocus City Hall concert in Moscow and killed 145+ people, leaving one of the worst terrorist attacks on the Russian capital in years.
Before the start of the concert, the armed men opened fire on the crowd, and, while fleeing, threw a grenade, causing a massive fire outbreak. Six hours later the fire was put out by Russian police. With 145+ estimated dead or in critical condition, Russia has not yet announced its plan for going forward.
Shortly after the attack, ISIS published a short statement through an affiliated newspaper claiming responsibility for the attack in Crocus City Hall. Although they posted no evidence that they were the group behind the attack, most clear signs point to them as the attackers.
The performers of the concert were unharmed, and the Russian singer Shaman announced that he would cover the treatment and funeral cost of all of the victims, stating in a social media post that “We are all one big family. And in family there is no such thing as someone else’s grief”.
Prior to the attack, the US embassy warned Russia that they were receiving reports pointing towards extremist plans to target large gatherings. The embassy warned Russian national security as well as Americans planning to travel to Russia, advising them not to attend large gatherings. The US cautioned Russia as part of their “duty to warn” policy, however, in a speech on April 16, Vladimir Putin claimed that the warnings were “provocative” and that “these actions resemble outright blackmail and the intention to intimidate and destabilize our society” setting no precautions in to protect the people.
Initially, Russia pointed at Ukraine as a possible suspect in the attack, due to the ongoing war with the neighboring country. However, Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhallo Podolyak denied any Ukrainian involvement in the attack, stating, “Ukraine has never resorted to the use of terrorist methods” as part of an X (formally Twitter) post.
Possible suspects appeared in court on Sunday, showing obvious signs of abuse, including swollen eyes, beaten faces, and one appearing in a wheelchair. Clearly trying to intimidate any potential enemies, one even appeared with the remnants of a plastic bag tied around his neck, a method of choking used in interrogation.
Questions of what this means for US involvement and threats are starting to arise in the aftermath of the attack, while Russia’s potential responses are up in the air.