Russia has lowered flags to half-mast for a day of mourning after scores of individuals have been gunned down with automated weapons at a rock live performance outdoors Moscow within the deadliest assault inside Russia for 20 years.
President Vladimir Putin declared a nationwide day of mourning for Sunday after pledging to trace down and punish all these behind the assault, during which 133 individuals have been killed, together with three youngsters, and greater than 150 injured. The demise toll is more likely to additional rise.
“I categorical my deep, honest condolences to all those that misplaced their family members,” Putin mentioned in an tackle to the nation on Saturday, his first public feedback on the assault. “The entire nation and our complete persons are grieving with you.”
ISIL (ISIS) armed group claimed accountability for Friday’s assault, however Putin has not publicly talked about the group in reference to the attackers, whom he mentioned had been making an attempt to flee to Ukraine. He asserted that some on “the Ukrainian aspect” had ready to spirit them throughout the border.
Ukraine has repeatedly denied any function within the assault, which Putin additionally blamed on “worldwide terrorism”.
Folks on Sunday laid flowers at Crocus Metropolis Corridor, the 6,200-seat live performance corridor outdoors Moscow the place 4 armed males burst in on Friday simply earlier than Soviet-era rock group Picnic was to carry out its hit, Afraid of Nothing.
The boys fired their automated weapons in brief bursts at terrified civilians who fell screaming in a hail of bullets.
It was the deadliest assault on Russian territory for the reason that 2004 Beslan faculty siege, when attackers linked to a Muslim group took greater than 1,000 individuals, together with a whole bunch of youngsters, hostage.
Governor of the Moscow area Andrei Vorobyov mentioned on Sunday the rescue operation was accomplished and the search operation remains to be ongoing.
“Identification by family is forward. In hospitals, medical doctors are combating for the lives of 107 individuals,” he mentioned.
Al Jazeera’s Yulia Shapavalova, reporting from outdoors the live performance corridor, mentioned individuals have been bringing flowers, candles, stuffed animals and posters for a makeshift memorial outdoors the corridor.
“We are able to see flags raised to half-staff on the Russian home of parliament and different buildings. Individuals are shocked, they’re grieving… there are quite a few memorials all through Russia,” she mentioned.
“The clearance of the rubble continues with rescue canines in search of individuals below the rubble… the demise toll may rise.”
Lengthy traces fashioned in Moscow to donate blood. Blood banks mentioned on Sunday they now had sufficient blood provides for 4 to 6 months.
International locations worldwide have expressed horror on the assault and despatched their condolences to the Russian individuals.
Following a Palm Sunday Mass at St Peter’s Sq. in Vatican Metropolis, Pope Francis despatched prayers to victims of the assault.
“I guarantee my prayers for the victims of the cowardly terrorist assault carried out the opposite night in Moscow,” the 87-year-old pope mentioned.
Headed for Ukraine
Putin mentioned 11 individuals had been detained, together with the 4 gunmen, who fled the live performance corridor and made their method to the Bryansk area, about 340km (210 miles) southwest of Moscow.
“They tried to cover and moved in direction of Ukraine, the place, based on preliminary knowledge, a window was ready for them on the Ukrainian aspect to cross the state border,” Putin mentioned.
Russia’s Federal Safety Service (FSB) mentioned the gunmen had contacts in Ukraine and have been captured close to the border.
Meduza, a Russian publication based mostly in Latvia, confirmed the claims by Russian state officers that the suspects have been headed for Ukraine, by geolocating the filming location of the reported arrest of one of many suspects.
In keeping with footage supplied by the FSB, officers arrested a 30-year-old close to the city of Khatsun in Russia’s Bryansk area, positioned 14km (8.6 miles) from the Ukrainian border, Meduza reported on Saturday.
The suspects have been dropped at Moscow and will seem in courtroom later within the day, based on native information companies.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned it was typical of Putin and “different thugs” to hunt to divert blame.
ISIL, which as soon as sought management over swaths of Iraq and Syria, claimed accountability for the assault, the group’s Amaq company mentioned on Telegram.
On Saturday night time, ISIL launched on its Telegram channels what it mentioned was footage of the assault.
In footage printed by Russian media and Telegram channels with shut ties to the Kremlin, one of many suspects mentioned he was supplied cash to hold out the assault.
“I shot individuals,” the suspect, his fingers tied and his hair held by an interrogator, a black boot beneath his chin, mentioned in poor and extremely accented Russian.
When requested why, he mentioned: “For cash.” The person mentioned he had been promised half 1,000,000 roubles ($5,400).
One was proven answering questions via a Tajik translator.
ISIL behind assault?
The White Home mentioned the US authorities shared info with Russia early this month a few deliberate assault in Moscow and issued a public advisory to Individuals in Russia on March 7. It mentioned ISIL bore sole accountability for the assault.
“There was no Ukrainian involvement in any respect,” US Nationwide Safety Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson mentioned.
Russia’s International Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova mentioned on Sunday any assertion made by US authorities to vindicate Kyiv till the top of the probe into the assault must be thought of as proof.
Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov advised the TASS information company on Saturday the US didn’t cross any particular info via the Russian embassy in Washington about preparations for the assault.
“Nothing was handed,” the ambassador mentioned. “No concrete info, nothing was transferred to us.”