Moscow concert hall shooting: at least 40 killed and 100 wounded in attack; roof collapsing as fire rips through venue – latest updates

Ukraine has denied involvement in the attacks, with Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, tweeting the following statement:

Ukraine certainly has nothing to do with the shooting/explosions in the Crocus City Hall (Moscow Region, Russia). It makes no sense whatsoever …

Ukraine has been fighting with the Russian army for more than two years. And everything in this war will be decided only on the battlefield. Only by the quantity of weapons and qualitative military decisions. Terrorist attacks do not solve any problems …

Ukraine has never resorted to the use of terrorist methods. It is always pointless. Unlike, by the way, Russia itself, which uses terrorist attacks in the current war against Ukraine …

And thirdly, long before the events in #Crocus_City_Hall, we had heard public warnings from foreign embassies stationed in #Moscow about the possibility of such bloody excesses.

As a conclusion: there is not the slightest doubt that the events in the Moscow suburbs will contribute to a sharp increase in military propaganda, accelerated militarization, expanded mobilization, and, ultimately, the scaling up of the war. And also to justify manifest genocidal strikes against the civilian population of Ukraine …

Forty people are dead and more than 100 others are wounded following shooting attacks at Crocus City Hall outside Moscow on Friday night, according to Russia’s Federal Security Service.

According to IFX, up to five gunmen were involved in the attacks.

Russia’s top investigative agency, the Investigative Committee, said that it is investigating the events as a terrorist attack, the Associated Press reports.

The agency did not say who may be responsible for the attacks.

The roof of Crocus City Hall where gunfire and flames were heard and seen on Friday night is collapsing, RIA reports.

Here are videos emerging through social media:

Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, has called on the international community to condemn the “monstrous crime” following the gun attacks at a concert hall near Moscow, Reuters reports.

Meanwhile, the Chechen leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, has issued a statement on the attacks, saying: “I strongly condemn such acts of violence, brutality and recklessness against civilians.”

Julian Borger

John Kirby, the White House national security spokesperson, told reporters:

There’s no indication at this time that Ukraine, or Ukrainians were involved in the shooting … We’re taking a look at it, but I would disabuse you at this early hour of any connection to Ukraine.”

In response to whether this is a sign of cracks in Vladimir Putin’s regime, Kirby said:

There are people in Moscow and in Russia that object to the way Mr Putin is governing the country, but I don’t think we, at this early hour, can make a link between the shopping mall attack and political motivations. I think … we just need more time and we need to learn more information.”

Here are the latest updates coming through Reuters on the attacks:

• A second blast was reported at Crocus City Hall near Moscow, IFX reports.

• Moscow has cancelled all the weekend’s mass gatherings, according to its mayor.

• The first wounded victims are already in hospitals across Moscow, IFX reports.

• Security measures have been strengthened at Moscow railway stations, TASS reports.

Andrew Roth

At least a dozen people have been killed and many more wounded according to unofficial reports in the worst terror attack in Russia in years, as gunmen in combat fatigues opened fire and detonated explosives in a big concert hall in Moscow.

Photos showed the Crocus City Music Hall engulfed in flames as videos emerged from the concert hall attack, showing at least four gunmen opening fire from automatic weapons as panicked Russians fled for their lives.

In one video, three men in fatigues carrying rifles fired at point blank range into bodies strewn about the lobby of the concert hall. The attackers also apparently detonated explosives, as the sounds of blasts could be heard in other videos from the attack.

Moscow has suffered a major terrorist attack after several gunmen dressed in camouflage fired on people at the Crocus City Hall music venue on the outskirts of the city on Friday evening.

Here is what we know so far:

• Between two and five gunmen were involved in the attack, Russian media reports. Footage showed people being shot in the foyer in a rampage-style atrocity.

• The attackers also used explosives that started a large fire, state media reported. The fire has engulfed a third of the concert venue building and the roof of the building is almost completely engulfed in flames, Tass reported. Large plumes of smoke could be seen billowing into the sky.

• Early reports put the death toll at 14.

• Video footage published on Russian social media channels showed a large crowd of concertgoers attempting to flee the hall as numerous loud gunshots could be heard.

• Special units of Russia’s national guard have arrived on the scene and more than 50 ambulance crews have been sent.