The Islamic State claimed responsibility for today's attack on a concert hall near Moscow, the group's Telegram channel announced, Reuters reports.
At least 40 people were killed and more than 100 injured when five gunmen dressed in camouflage suits opened fire with automatic weapons on people at a concert at the Crocus City Hall concert hall near Moscow, in one of the worst attacks on Russia in recent years, reports is Reuters.
And the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that in this evening's armed attack in Moscow, at least 40 people were killed and more than 100 were injured.
The Tas agency stated that 146 people were wounded, reports Reuters
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The spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Maria Zakharova, called the violence in the Crocus City Hall concert hall a terrorist attack.
"The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs receives calls from all over the world from ordinary citizens expressing their condolences regarding the terrible tragedy in Crocus City Hall and condemning this bloody terrorist attack that is happening before the eyes of all humanity," she wrote on Telegram.
Beta Agency reports that several armed attackers opened fire from automatic weapons in Moscow's Krokus City Hall before the start of the Piknik concert.
After opening fire, the attackers threw a bomb, as a result of which a fire broke out, according to Beta.
The Russian media Baza previously reported that 18 people were killed and 43 were wounded.
Reuters previously reported that there were at least 14 dead.
Russian Ombudsman Tatjana Mosalkova called the incident "an act of terrorism".
The TAS agency reported earlier that there was an explosion and fire in the building where the shooting took place.
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A little later, Reuters reported, citing Russian news agencies, that a second explosion was heard in Crocus City Hall.
Reuters reports that the Russian media outlet Fontanka, citing Nina Ostanjina, a deputy in the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament, announced that children were among the dead.
The RIA agency reported, citing the Moscow Ombudsman for Children, that children were among the injured.
Russian authorities announced that they have increased security measures at Moscow's airports and train stations, the agencies reported.
The Interfax agency reported that fire crews contained the fire in the concert hall.
The TAS agency reported earlier that people are still trapped in the fire-ravaged concert venue.
That agency states that the fire engulfed a third of the concert hall building, and that the roof of the building was almost completely engulfed in flames.
Reuters reported that over 100 people were evacuated from the basement of the hall.
According to the RIA news agency, at least three masked people opened fire, while Interfax reported that there were between two and five attackers.
That agency also states that Special Units of the National Guard of Russia arrived at the scene of the shooting.
Interfax reports that these units are looking for the attackers.
RIA also reported that the police are on the scene.
TAS reports that the helicopter is trying to put out the fire that engulfed the hall.
The mayor of Moscow, Sergey Sobyanin, said that all major sports, cultural and other public events this weekend in the capital of Russia will be cancelled.
The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that it was taking "all necessary measures" in connection with the shooting at the Krokus concert hall, Interfax reported.
Footage obtained by Reuters shows a large fire and smoke rising from the scene of the shooting.
Reuters reports that other videos show more people lying motionless in pools of blood outside the hall.
Reuters could not immediately verify the footage.
The TAS news agency reported that there was an explosion and a fire in the building where the shooting took place.
The newspaper Komersant posted a video showing smoke coming out of what they said was the building of the concert hall.
RIA reports that more than 50 emergency teams were dispatched to the scene.
Reuters reports that the mayor of Moscow expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.
The White House announced that at the moment there are no indications that Ukraine is involved in the shooting that took place in Moscow.
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Yulia Navalny, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, expressed her condolences to the families of the shooting victims.
"All those involved in this crime must be found and brought to justice," Navalnya wrote on her account on the X social network, Reuters reports.
Peskov: Putin informed about the attack in the concentration hall
Russian President Vladimir Putin was informed about the terrorist attack in Moscow "as soon as it happened", and he was informed by the relevant services, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Peskov added that Putin had issued "all the necessary instructions" about tonight's armed attack at the concert hall.
The head of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, Vladimir Kolokoltsev, arrived at the scene of the terrorist attack.
The upper floors of the "Crocus City Hall" almost burned down while social networks were flooded with videos of the hall's roof collapsing. The media reports that the roof of the shopping center, which was caught in the fire, has also begun to collapse.
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