Tragic concert hall attack in Krasnogorsk claims over 60 lives amidst warnings
On Friday, a terrorist attack occurred at the concert hall in Krasnogorsk on the outskirts of Moscow, leading to the deaths of – according to the latest information – over 60 people. Americans had been warning of the danger for several weeks, but Vladimir Putin dismissed the warnings as "blackmail."
Many reports provided by the Russian media and authorities are likely not accurate. Such reports could be part of an information war by the Russian Federation.
On Friday, around 7:00 PM Greenwich Time, armed attackers stormed Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk on the outskirts of Moscow and opened fire on people waiting for a rock concert to start. The Russian government agency RIA Novosti reported that the attack began with the throwing of a grenade or incendiary bomb into the building, causing a fire.
Yesterday, Russian media reported at least 40 victims of the attack, but the latest findings indicate that the tragic toll has risen – over 60 people died, and 145 were injured. The Moscow authorities provided this information.
Americans knew about the threat and informed their citizens residing in Russia. Already on March 7, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow warned U.S. citizens to avoid large gatherings, including concerts, due to plans for an "extremist" attack. On Friday, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson confirmed this information.
Earlier this month, the U.S. government had information about a planned terrorist attack - potentially targeting large gatherings, including concerts - prompting the State Department to issue a public warning to Americans in Russia - Watson said in a statement to the media on Friday.
"The U.S. authorities conveyed this information to the Russian authorities as part of the long-standing 'duty to warn' policy," she emphasized. According to the Baza Channel on Telegram, the British Embassy also issued an alert.
Vladimir Putin speaks of "blackmail"
Information from the Meduza Channel suggests that the Russian dictator did not take the potential threat seriously. He described the American warnings as "blackmail" by the West, attempting to "intimidate and destabilize" Russian society.
Krystyna Kurczab-Redlich, a longtime correspondent for Polish media in Russia and author of the book "Vova, Volodya, Vladimir", suggested that the bloody attack might have been a provocation by Russian services. She highlighted that the attack occurred on the day Russia first referred to the situation in Ukraine not as a "special military operation" but as a war.
Putin is leading his nation to war, so to energize them, a huge hall with a capacity of 6,000 people in Krasnogorsk on the outskirts of Moscow had to catch fire – the expert assessed in a discussion with the Polish Press Agency.
