Xavier Colás
Updated Friday, March 22, 2024-9:18 p.m.
Russia Dozens dead in terrorist attack at concert hall near Moscow
Album Images of the attack on a concert hall near Moscow
The embassies of
the United States and the United Kingdom in Russia
had already issued urgent warnings in early March about the possibility of a
terrorist attack in Moscow
in the next 24 to 48 hours. The US embassy urged US citizens to stay
away from
mass gatherings.
A week and a half later, on March 19, Putin
dismissed Western warnings
about the possibility of terrorist attacks in Russia as "absolute blackmail."
The Russian president denounced the intention to intimidate and destabilize Russian society. It was in the meeting with the leadership of the FSB security service that Putin
referred to "the recent provocations by various
Western official structures about the possibility of terrorist attacks in Russia." In any case, the president instructed the FSB to seriously strengthen anti-terrorist activity in all areas.
A day before the Western warning, the FSB announced that its agents had
thwarted an Islamic State terrorist attack
on a Moscow synagogue. Russia's state news agency TASS said FSB agents had killed several members who were planning the attack, citing the FSB press office.
It is unclear whether the incident is related
to the US warning.
This Friday, several armed men opened fire on concertgoers at the
Crocus City Hall
in
Krasnogorsk, near Moscow
, and then started a fire inside the building. The concert hall is located in a shopping center next to other businesses such as hotels and restaurants. At least
40 people have died and a hundred more have been injured.
The United States assured this Friday that there is no indication that
Ukraine participated in the "horrible" attack,
Efe reports.
In a press conference, one of the White House spokespersons, John Kirby, explained that the United States is still gathering information about the event, but said that "at this time there is no
indication that Ukraine or Ukrainian citizens
are involved." .
For his part, former Russian president Dmiti Medvedev stated that Russia
will "destroy" the Ukrainian leaders
if it is proven that they are involved in the attack.
"If it is established that they are terrorists of the Kiev regime (...), they will be
located and destroyed mercilessly
, as terrorists. Including the leaders of the State that committed such an atrocity," Medvedev, number two of the Security Council, stated on Telegram. Russian security