Arrests made following Moscow concert hall assault which killed at least 115; ISIS take credit

State media reported on Saturday that Russian authorities have apprehended 11 individuals, including four suspected gunmen, in connection to a fatal assault on a crowded concert hall near Moscow last Friday. With a reported death toll of at least 115 people and several hundred more injured, it counts as one of the most lethal attacks in recent years. The suspects were apprehended in the Bryansk region of western Russia, near the Ukrainian border, and according to state news agency Tass, were planning to cross into Ukraine.

Videos posted on Russian social media platforms depict scenes of chaos inside the spacious venue which is connected to a shopping mall. Gunmen are shown directing a sustained spray of automatic gunfire into the crowd, leading to widespread panic and some attendees being trampled upon in the rush to escape. Subsequent clips show the attackers igniting a fire that resulted in a partial collapse of the building’s roof.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the attack. This claim has been corroborated by a U.S. official citing acquired intelligence affirming the group’s role, adding that there is no reason to doubt the authenticity of these claims. Prior to the attack, the U.S. embassy had warned Americans to steer clear of concert venues in Russia due to a heightened risk of terrorism. The U.S. official said that relevant intelligence had been provided to Russia in accordance with the intelligence community’s Duty to Warn requirement.

The attack took place mere days after President Putin solidified his leadership through a landslide electoral victory, amid Russia’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine. The U.N. Security Council has condemned the tragic incident, describing it as a “heinous and cowardly terrorist attack”, while U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also denounced it in the “strongest possible terms”.

These events are evocative of a wave of severe terrorist attacks that Russia experienced in the early 2000s during its conflicts with separatist factions in Chechnya. However, this recent incident represents the most significant terrorist attack in the country in years. Public response has been significant, with hundreds of Moscow residents queuing to donate blood and plasma following the incident.