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Mourners at the site of the attack

Photo: Maxim Shemetov / REUTERS

After the worst attack in 20 years, Russia commemorated the victims with a national day of mourning. "The entire country mourns with the people who lost their loved ones in this inhumane tragedy," it said on state television.

Flags across the country flew at half-mast on Sunday. Large events were canceled; Museums, theaters and cinemas closed over the weekend.

Despite the rain, thousands of people laid flowers, toys and stuffed animals at the burned-out Crocus City Hall near Moscow until Sunday evening. At times people stood in three lines hundreds of meters long. A picture of a single candle was displayed on billboards throughout the city, along with the date of the attack and the words "We mourn." People in other cities also commemorated the attack with flowers.

Vladimir Putin declared a day of national mourning for Sunday. In the evening, the Russian president lit a candle in memory of the deceased in a church at his residence outside Moscow, his spokesman told the Interfax news agency.

More than 130 dead, many injured still in danger of death

Masked attackers broke into the packed Crocus City Hall on Friday evening and opened fire. The hall burned out and the roof collapsed. According to the Russian Investigative Committee on Sunday, at least 137 people were killed, including three children. Not all victims have been identified yet.

The dead apparently also include the missing assistant of the Russian rock group Piknik, who was actually supposed to perform on Friday. The band reported on Sunday about the death of their employee and dedicated a post to her on social networks.

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President Vladimir Putin

Photo: Mikhail Metzel / SPUTNIK / KREMLIN / EPA

The Russian authorities assume that the number of victims will continue to rise. More than 150 people were injured in the attack. 107 people are still in hospital - many of them are in mortal danger, says Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova.

IS claims responsibility for the crime

The terrorist militia “Islamic State” (IS) had already claimed responsibility for the attack on Saturday night. According to the New York Times, the USA, which warned Russia of such a terrorist attack in mid-March, blames the Afghan branch of the terrorist group. “Based on everything that is known so far, it can be assumed that the terrorist group “Islamic State Khorasan Province” (ISPK) is responsible for the murderous terrorist attack near Moscow,” said Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) to the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”. «.

Putin only commented on the attack on Saturday afternoon. In it he announced the arrest of “all four attackers.” They were arrested when "they were moving towards Ukraine." According to initial findings, a time window had been prepared for them to cross the border, said the Kremlin boss.

This information was vehemently rejected by Kiev. Putin and his followers are "just trying to blame someone else," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address.

more on the subject

  • Survivor of the Moscow massacre: "At that moment I realized that my life could end here and now" Recorded by Alexander Chernyshev and Steffen Lüdke

  • After the terrorist attack in Moscow: Putin's belated condolences Christina Hebel reports from Moscow

  • Attack near Moscow: Why did Russia ignore the Americans' warnings? By Cornelius Dieckmann, New York

Russian air strikes on Ukraine

On Sunday night, the Russian military launched another large-scale air raid on Ukraine, which primarily hit and damaged buildings that supply energy.

According to Polish information, Russia briefly violated the NATO member's airspace during the missile attacks. The Foreign Ministry in Warsaw will summon the Russian ambassador, who will have to explain himself, said Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Szejna, according to the PAP agency. Further action depends on the information provided by the ambassador.

slü/heb/dpa/AFP