The aftermath of the attack on the Crocus City Hall in Moscow, Russia, on the 22nd (local time), continues to unfold, with hundreds of casualties reported. Survivors from the scene are sharing their experiences.
According to The Guardian on the 23rd, Arina, aged 27, from Moscow, said, “We heard loud ‘bangs’ from outside and thought it was part of the concert. Not long after, we saw men with rifles entering the venue.”
She added, “Everyone in my group was lying on the floor, surrounded by injured individuals covered in blood.” She witnessed a scene where a woman attempted to communicate with one of the attackers and was shot.
Sophiko Kvirikashvili, in an interview with BBC, said, “At first, we thought it was fireworks. But when we turned around, we realized people were running in all directions.”
Andrei, 58, who visited the venue with his wife, told The Times, “The terrorists walked down the corridor, shooting their machine guns at people, slowly and confidently, and calmly.”
He added, “We hid behind a pillar on the second floor, praying they wouldn’t see us.”
A teenage girl, in an interview with RT, a Russian state-controlled international news television network, said, “I got caught, and one of them came back and started shooting at people. I was bleeding and laid on the floor pretending to be dead.” She continued, “The terrorist also shot at the bodies on the floor. The little girl lying next to me was shot to death.”
The Investigative Committee of Russia reported that at least 133 people have been killed in the attack, with many more in critical condition, suggesting that the number of casualties may rise.
According to local media Baza Telegram Channel, 28 bodies were found in a bathroom where people had sought refuge. Survivors reported that many tried to escape by breaking the bathroom window after having to hide from the gunfire and fire. An additional 14 bodies were found on the emergency stairs.
Meanwhile, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has detained a total of 11 people related to the incident, including four key suspects. Immediately after the incident, the Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack by releasing on-site bodycam footage, and the United States also attributed the responsibility entirely to IS. However, Russian authorities are asserting a potential link to Ukraine, arguing that the suspects attempted to flee toward the Ukrainian border.
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