Crocus City Hall Attack

On 22 March 2024, a coordinated terrorist attack by Islamic terrorists against civilians occurred at the Crocus City Hall music venue in Crocus City, Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast, Russia. The attack began at around 20:00 MSK ( UTC+3), shortly before the Russian band Picnic was scheduled to play a sold-out show at the venue. Four terrorists associated with Islamic State – Khorasan Province (IS–KP or ISIS-K) carried out a mass shooting, as well as slashing attacks on the people gathered at the venue, and used incendiary devices to set the venue on fire. Investigators said 145 people had been killed (including those who died later in hospital), and more than 551 concertgoers injured by gunfire or suffering from burns. On 28 March, Russian authorities also claimed that a further 95 people were missing.

IS claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement through the IS-affiliated Amaq News Agency shortly after the attack, with its regional branch in the Afghanistan–Pakistan border region, Islamic State – Khorasan Province (), most likely being responsible. Amaq also published a video filmed by one of the attackers. It showed the attackers shooting victims and slitting the throat of a victim, while the filming attacker was reciting the '' takbir'', praising God and speaking against infidels.

Russia's Foreign Ministry called the incident a terrorist attack. Russian president Vladimir Putin called the attack a "barbaric terrorist act" and said that the gunmen had been arrested. He also declared 24 March 2024 to be a national day of mourning, and sought to link assailants to Ukraine, in what has been described as "very doubtful and primitive" disinformation. It was the deadliest terrorist attack on Russian soil since the Beslan school siege in 2004. Investigators detained 12 people in relation to the attack, including four suspects, who were charged with terrorism later on 24 March.

Background

Russia has been subject to major terrorist attacks starting from a series of explosions that hit Moscow apartment blocks in 1999, followed by the Moscow theater hostage crisis in 2002, the Beslan school siege in 2004 and the Domodedovo International Airport bombing in 2011. There have been at least a half-dozen attacks in or near Moscow by Muslim terrorists, most of them Chechen militants, over the past 25 years.

The Islamic State has also carried out coordinated, large-scale attacks on music venues throughout Europe since the 2010s, including a similar attack in Paris during a rock concert at the Bataclan theater in November 2015, as well as claiming responsibility for the bombing at the Manchester Arena in the United Kingdom in 2017. In October 2015, Islamic State militants downed a Russian passenger jet over Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, killing all 224 people on board. It was also responsible for the bombing of the Russian embassy in Kabul in September 2022.

Russia had targeted the Islamic State during its intervention in the Syrian Civil War on behalf of the government of President Bashar al-Assad. After years of reduced activity, the Islamic State has been trying to step up its attacks. On 3 January 2024, IS–KP conducted bombings in Kerman, Iran that killed at least 103 people; the US had warned Iran of the possible attack. Colin Clarke from the independent Soufan Center think tank said that IS–KP "has been fixated on Russia for the past two years, frequently criticizing Putin in its propaganda."

On 2 March 2024, six alleged Islamic State militants were killed in a shootout with Russian security forces in Ingushetia. On 7 March, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that it had neutralized an Islamic State terrorist cell in Moscow, which had intended to attack a synagogue in the city.

Prior warnings from other countries

On 7 March, the United States Embassy in Moscow warned that "extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts" and advised US citizens to "avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours," to avoid crowds, to stay updated by monitoring local media, and to maintain awareness of surroundings. Canada and the United Kingdom also issued similar warnings to their citizens in Russia. That day, the US also privately warned Russian officials of the danger of an impending attack from IS–KP from intelligence gathered earlier in March, under the US intelligence community's " duty to warn" requirement, specifically mentioning the Crocus City Hall venue. US officials later stated to ''The New York Times'' that the attack was related to the prior US warning, and also said that the intelligence reports that the warning was based on had been shared with Russian officials before the attack. In contrast, the Russian ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, said that in regards to the attacks "no concrete information, nothing was passed to us", while the head of the FSB, Alexander Bortnikov, said that the US warning was "of a general nature".

Three days before the Crocus City Hall attack, President Vladimir Putin told the board of the FSB that Western warnings of a potential attack inside Russia were "provocative" and "resemble outright blackmail and the intention to intimidate and destabilise our society".

Ten days after the attack, it was reported that Iran had also warned Russia that a major "terrorist operation" was being planned, based on information gathered from IS militants arrested after the Kerman bombings. Despite coming from, as described by the news agency Reuters, a "diplomatic ally" of Putin's government, the notification was allegedly dismissed. Iran's communications have been said to have not included the specific target on Russian soil.

Venue

Crocus City Hall was built in 2009 as a concert venue with a capacity of 6,200 people and is one of the largest concert venues in the Moscow area. It is a seven-story building which has an area of about 38,000 m². It is part of a larger block of shopping centers, restaurants, and other attractions called Crocus City, which was built by Azerbaijani billionaire and property developer Aras Agalarov and was also the venue of the Miss Universe 2013 pageant and the Top Hit Music Awards in 2013 and 2019.

Attack

On 22 March 2024 the Russian band Picnic was scheduled to play a sold-out show at Crocus City Hall. At around 20:00 MSK (UTC+3), before the band began their performance, masked gunmen in combat fatigues opened fire on the crowd using AK–style assault rifles. An IS–KP report also claimed that the assailants had pistols and knives. Because the show was about to begin, some believed the initial sound of gunshots was part of the act. At the time of the attack, children and teenagers were also in the building for a ballroom dancing competition. The venue's security guards were unarmed, and it is believed that some of them were killed in the attack. A part-time cloakroom assistant, 15-year-old Islam Khalilov, reportedly helped save more than a hundred concert-goers by showing them an exit through the venue's office space. He was assisted by three of his co-workers, 14-year-old Artyom Donskov, Nikita Ivanov and another.

One witness described the attackers as bearded men. Amateur video footage verified by BBC Verify showed masked gunmen shooting indiscriminately in the entrance hall and auditorium. Other footage posted to Telegram showed men in military fatigues and baseball caps firing into crowds of screaming people. On 23 March, IS released a video through Amaq News Agency, showing the shooting and throat-slitting of victims in the attack. In the video, the assailants appear to shoot patrons outside the entrance of the auditorium. In Arabic subtitles, the assailants were heard shouting; "come, come quickly", "bring the assault rifle, bring the assault rifle", and "kill them and have no mercy". After shooting the victims, an assailant slits the throat of a still-alive wounded victim, who was shot off-camera prior to the recording. After the killings, in Arabic subtitles, one of the assailants is reported to have stated: "The infidels are defeated by the grace of Allah. Allah is great.. 'sic''">sic.html" ;"title="'sic">'sic''The infidels are defeated. We went out for the sake of Allah and are supporting his religion."

The assailants were also reported to have used incendiary devices, with an eyewitness claiming the assailants used petrol bombs to start a fire in the auditorium">Molotov cocktail">petrol bombs to start a fire in the auditorium. Amateur video footage posted to social media sites showed huge fires and plumes of smoke coming from the building from the fires set by the assailants, including by an emergency stairwell, forcing people towards the attackers' positions in the middle of the lobby. The fire in the complex was estimated to have covered an area of 12,900 square metres (139,000 square feet). Hours later, around 22:14 MSK, a loud sound was reported, followed by a partial roof collapse. Moscow Oblast governor Andrey Vorobyov said the roof over the hall had collapsed.

Specialized police units from the SOBR, Special Rapid Response Unit (SOBR) and OMON, Special Purposes Mobile Unit (OMON) were sent to the scene, arriving over one hour after the shootings started, according to Nexta. Their arrival was delayed by traffic jams caused by the rush-hour, with the venue having been located on the Moscow Ring Road. Vorobyov went to the scene to set up a task force to handle the situation. Other officials also arrived, including Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev. The National Guard of Russia was also dispatched to search for the assailants, with a picture posted of the suspected assailants fleeing in a white 2007 Renault Symbol car with Russian license plates T668UM 69 ( Tver Oblast), which they had purchased on 4 January 2024.

Survivors were evacuated via medical helicopters, with 70 ambulance crews reportedly being dispatched. An unknown number of people fled to the parking area from the stage, while others fled to the roof. Authorities evacuated approximately 100 people hiding in the basement. A survivor said that escapees were hampered by locked doors, forcing some of them to break a door open to escape. Firefighters prevented the fire from spreading, while three helicopters were deployed to dump water on the burning rooftop.

By 07:00 on 23 March, Vorobyov reported the fire had been contained and mostly extinguished. He released a video showing extensive damage to the building with the roof and upper rows of the concert hall completely collapsed. By 11:30 that same day, the fire had been extinguished.

Casualties

The attack left at least 145 dead including a number who subsequently died of their wounds, and some 551 more injured, some critically. Aside from gunshot wounds, some of the deaths were caused by smoke inhalation. According to the Russian Children's Rights Commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova, six children were killed and seven others were injured in the attack. Eight children also lost their parents. The oldest fatality was a woman in her 70s. Most of the victims were from the northwestern edge of Moscow, including Krasnogorsk and Khimki. Three citizens of Belarus, two from Kyrgyzstan, and one each from Moldova, Armenia and Azerbaijan were among those killed.

The search for victims ended on 23 March. The health department of Moscow said it expected to finish identification of bodies in two weeks. As of 30 March, 134 fatalities had been identified.

The members of Picnic posted on Instagram that they and their management were "alive and safe", with TASS later reporting that they had been evacuated. However, the band later said on VK that one of the band's staff members was missing; the band's assistant director was on the merchandise stall and died in the attack.

Investigation

As of 27 April, 12 people have been detained, including the four suspected assailants in a white car, who were captured on the mark of the M3 highway leading to the Ukrainian border ( away), near the village of in Bryansk Oblast, and about southwest of Moscow, on the evening of 22 March. Russia coordinated with Belarusian security forces to prevent the suspects from crossing the Belarus–Russia border. The Investigative Committee of Russia launched a criminal terrorist probe into the attack. Officials later said that the attackers were not Russian citizens.

State Duma deputy Alexander Khinshtein said that Tajik passports were discovered in the vehicle of the individuals in custody, and the Russian Telegram channel Baza identified the four attackers as citizens of Tajikistan. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan denied the involvement of three of its citizens, stating that the individuals named in the discovered passports had returned to Tajikistan months earlier and were working there. In a phone call with Putin, Tajikistani President Emomali Rahmon said that "terrorists have no nationality, no homeland and no religion". On 12 April however, Tajikistani foreign minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin issued a statement condemning the alleged torture of the suspected attackers in Russian custody, calling it "unacceptable". As Tajikistan signed a dual citizenship agreement with Russia in the 1990s, it is possible that the perpetrators held dual Tajik and Russian citizenships.

On 24 March, four suspects, Dalerjon Mirzoyev, 32; Saidakrami Rachabalizoda, 30; Shamsidin Fariduni, 25; and Muhammadsobir Faizov, 19, appeared at Basmanny District Court in Moscow and were charged with terrorism. Mirzoyev, Rachabalizoda, and Fariduni pled guilty during the hearing. All showed signs of having been tortured. They had facial injuries and bruises and Rachabalizoda appeared with a bandage covering his missing right ear. Faizov was brought into court in a wheelchair wearing a hospital gown, and appeared to have an eye missing. They were ordered to remain in pre-trial detention until at least 22 May.

A short video on Telegram allegedly showed Rachabalizoda being tortured by FSB agents, who cut off his ear and forced him to eat it. In another interrogation video released by Russian state media, Fariduni said that he participated in the attack in exchange for 1 million rubles ($11,005), half of which he claimed to have already received by card transfer from individuals who contacted him on Telegram and whose identities he did not know. He also said he was contacted about a month ago by a cleric's assistant. He then traveled to Turkey for a few days, returning to Russia with Rachabalizoda. A leaked photograph showed Fariduni apparently being tortured by having his genitals shocked with a TA-57 field telephone.

The suspects were officially identified as citizens of Tajikistan. Mirzoyev, who was presented as the ringleader of the attacks, had an expired residency permit in Novosibirsk. According to Agentstvo, three out of the four men had spent several months in Russia, but did not come to the attention of Russian authorities; ''Meduza'' said that, according to one source, the alleged perpetrators met 3–4 weeks before the attack. '' Izvestia'' alleged that two of the gunmen received instructions when travelling to Turkey. According to Turkish media, the mentioned terrorist organization was based in an illegal mosque or madrasa called Darul Vefa İlim ve Amel Merkezi (Muvahhid Derneği) in Başakşehir, Istanbul. An analysis by '' The New York Times'' matched the clothes of the four suspects with the gunmen in the attack. If convicted, the four could receive a sentence of life imprisonment.

On 25 March, three more suspects appeared in court and were placed in pre-trial detention until 22 May. They were identified as a father, Isroil Islomov, and his two sons, Aminchon Islomov and Dilovar Islomov, and were accused of aiding and abetting terrorism. Dilovar Islomov was the previous owner of the car in which the four suspected attackers fled the crime scene.

On 26 March, another suspect, identified as Alisher Kasimov, appeared in court. He rented out his apartment to the four suspected attackers and was also placed in pre-trial detention until 22 May.

On 28 March, another suspect was detained, with the Investigative Committee of Russia saying that he was involved in the "financing" of the attack. He was later identified as Nazrimad Lutfulloi, although he was said to have been detained on 23 March, the day after the attack. He appeared in court on 29 March, was charged with conspiracy to conduct acts of terrorism and pleaded guilty to some of the charges. He was also placed in pre-trial detention until 22 May.

On 31 March, the FSB announced the arrest of four people in Makhachkala and Kaspiysk in Dagestan on suspicion of providing funds and weapons to the attackers at Crocus City Hall. They also allegedly planned to carry out another attack in Kaspiysk.

In Tajikistan, authorities arrested nine people from Vahdat District on suspicion of involvement with the attackers on 25 March.

On 4 April, the FSB announced the arrest of three people in Moscow, Yekaterinburg and Omsk, two for allegedly transferring money for firearms and vehicles used in the attack, and the third for allegedly recruiting and financing the gunmen.

On 7 April, the Investigative Committee of Russia announced that Crocus fire safety officials and the head of the Crocus fire brigade were being investigated for fire code violations, which carry a criminal charge of negligence, and placed under house arrest. Neither of them was named at the time.

On 27 April, Russian authorities announced that charges were filed against a twelfth suspect for allegedly providing communications logistics and financing to the attackers.

Suspects

The FSB announced that twelve people were arrested in connection with the attacks, with eight of them appearing in court as of 26 March. Nine people were arrested in the town of Vahdat, Tajikistan in connection with the attacks. The FSB announced the arrest of four people in Dagestan, who were suspected of providing the gunmen with the weapons used. On 1 April, the FSB released an interrogation video where one of the suspects reportedly confessed to transferring weapons from Makhachkala to Mytishchi.

Alleged gunmen

Four Tajik citizens have been accused of carrying out the massacre:Unable To 'Kill A Sparrow': Tajik Relatives Of Moscow Attack Suspects Give Details About Their Lives
, by RFE/RL, 26 March 2024
* Dalerjon Barotovich Mirzoev, born on . A native of Tajikistan, Mirzoyev had acquired a temporary registration for three months in Novosibirsk. However, RIA Novosti reported that his registration had expired. His brother, Ravshanjon Mirzoev, joined the central branch of IS in 2016 and was presumed to have been killed in Syria in 2020. Ravshanjon was put on a wanted list by Tajik authorities and his family was put under surveillance.
* Saidakrami Muradali Rachabalizoda, born on . He was raised in the town of Vahdat, and dropped out of ninth grade and never received religious education. Before moving to Russia, he worked at a furniture factory in the town. He communicated through an interpreter.
* Shamsidin Fariduni, born on . A native of Tajikistan, he was officially employed at a factory in Podolsk, and was registered in Krasnogorsk. Before moving to Russia, he worked in a bakery in Hisar and was previously jailed in Tajikistan for sexual harassment before being freed in 2020. He said he was contacted by a "Turkish preacher" on Telegram who promised to pay him $10,500 if he "shot a few people". He was married in 2022 and left behind an eight-month-old son. Fariduni owned social media accounts under the name of Abdulloh Zargarov and Abu Abdulloh Zargar, where he posted photographs of himself in Istanbul and near the city's Fatih Mosque.
* Muhammadsobir Zakirjonovich Faizov, born on . He was presented while nonresponsive in a wheelchair. Formerly employed in a barber shop in Ivanovo, Faizov was temporarily unemployed and registered in that city. He was described by his mother lacking religious education, not regularly praying, and had planned to study abroad in China. Faizov posted a drawing of an IS flag on his VKontakte page in 2016, when he was twelve.

Suspected co-conspirators

* Aminchon Isroilovich Islomov and Dilovar Isroilovich Islomov, and their father, Isroil Ibrahimovich Islomov, residing in Tver Oblast. Dilovar was identified by ''Novaya Gazeta Europe'' as the previous owner of the getaway car used by the perpetrators, though he was not named by the publication. Dilovar said that he had sold the car a week before the attack and expressed shock at seeing it at the crime scene. A relative said that Dilovor and another relative had informed police in relation to the incident. According to '' Mediazona'', Aminchon denied involvement in the attack in court. According to ''Readovka'', one of these individuals was a Russian citizen.
* Alisher Khatamovich Kasimov, a 32-year-old Russian citizen born in Kyrgyzstan. He admitted having rented out his apartment in Moscow Oblast on Avito to the four suspected attackers.
* Nazrimad Lutfulloi, a 23-year-old from the city of Bokhtar in Tajikistan, suspected of having helped finance the attacks.
* Yakubjoni Davlatkhon Yusufzoda, a citizen of Tajikistan who was illegally working as a construction worker. He reportedly confessed to having sent money to the gunmen and attempted to evade arrest.
* Dzhumokhon Kurbonov, a citizen of Tajikistan who was initially detained on charges of petty hooliganism in 15 April and was subsequently charged with providing financial and communications assistance to the attackers on 27 April.

Responsibility for the attack

Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack shortly after in a statement released via Telegram by the IS-affiliated Amaq News Agency, stating that the attackers "retreated to their bases safely". IS did not specify which one of its branches was responsible but all the information points to Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), which is the regional branch of the Islamic State that is active in South-Central Asia, primarily Afghanistan, as being responsible, most likely with involvement from the Islamic State branches in Turkey and possibly the Caucasus. US officials said they had intelligence indicating that IS–KP had been planning an attack on Moscow.

On 23 March, IS released photos of the attackers and a full report on the attack. Later the same day, the IS-affiliated Amaq News Agency released a one and a half-minute-long video of the attack, filmed by one of the attackers. It showed an attacker with an assault rifle shooting victims, another attacker slitting a victim's throat with a knife, one more attacker with a backpack, and the filming attacker reciting the '' takbir'' ( ar, Allāhu ʾakbar), praising God and declaring that infidels will be defeated.

American officials said that their intelligence revealed IS–KP had acted alone in the attack. French president Emmanuel Macron stated that French intelligence had determined that "an Islamic State entity masterminded the attack and carried it out," and offered to help Russians investigate IS–KP. On 25 March, Putin acknowledged that the attack was carried out by "radical Islamists", but suggested that Ukraine was involved.

On 23 May, FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov acknowledged ISIS-K's culpability in the attack, but insisted that Ukraine was involved.

Aftermath

Despite a police cordon

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