Breaking news from state media indicated that Russian authorities have apprehended 11 individuals, including four suspected gunmen, in connection with a tragic incident at a packed concert hall near Moscow. The attack, which occurred on Friday, resulted in the loss of at least 115 lives and left numerous others wounded.
According to Russian officials, the four suspects were intercepted in the Bryansk region of western Russia, close to the Ukrainian border. Reports from Russia's Investigative Committee suggested that the individuals had intentions to cross into Ukraine and had established connections there. The FSB of Russia informed state news agency Tass that the agency's head briefed President Vladimir Putin on the arrests on Saturday.
Videos shared on Russian social media platforms depict chaos inside the concert hall, which is linked to a shopping complex. The footage captures individuals screaming and seeking shelter as the gunmen unleash continuous rounds of automatic gunfire. Some clips show the assailants firing from close range, while others show the venue being set ablaze, leading to a partial roof collapse.
An eyewitness, Dave Primov, recounted the harrowing experience to CBS News, stating, "The shots were constant. People panicked and started to run. Some fell down and were trampled on."
The group known as the Islamic State has taken responsibility for the assault. An official from the United States informed CBS News that there is intelligence confirming the Islamic State's acknowledgment of the attack, and there is no reason to question those statements.
The U.S. Embassy in Russia had previously cautioned Americans to avoid concert venues due to the risk of a terrorist attack. The U.S. official verified that the U.S. shared intelligence with Russia regarding a potential attack as part of the intelligence community's Duty to Warn obligation. A U.S. law enforcement official informed CBS News that there is no known threat to the U.S. stemming from the Moscow incident.
The attack occurred shortly after Putin strengthened his control in a meticulously planned electoral victory amidst the nation's conflict with Ukraine.
On Friday, the U.N. Security Council condemned the "abhorrent and cowardly terrorist attack" and stressed the importance of holding the perpetrators accountable. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also denounced the terrorist attack "in the strongest terms possible," according to his spokesperson.
Meanwhile, in Moscow, hundreds of individuals queued up on Saturday morning to donate blood and plasma, as reported by Russia's health ministry.
This marks the most lethal terrorist attack in Russia in recent years. The nation experienced a series of fatal terror incidents in the early 2000s during the conflict with separatists in the Russian region of Chechnya.
During October 2002, a group of Chechen militants held approximately 800 individuals hostage in a Moscow theater. After two days, Russian special forces initiated a raid on the building, resulting in the deaths of 129 hostages and 41 Chechen fighters. The majority of casualties were attributed to the use of narcotic gas by the Russian forces to subdue the attackers.
Furthermore, in September 2004, around 30 Chechen militants took control of a school in Beslan, located in southern Russia, and held hundreds of individuals captive. The siege culminated in a tragic outcome two days later, with over 330 people losing their lives, with approximately half of them being children.
