Several heavily armed men unleashed a deadly attack, leaving a number of dead and injured that has not been disclosed. An enormous explosion followed by a blaze engulfed the building, trapping occupants inside.
Pages later, Russia’s Foreign Ministry urged the world to condemn the massacre, stating that the international community must denounce this horrible crime. This message was shared by Maria Zhakarova, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, on Telegram, according to EFE.
Earlier in the month, the United States embassy in Moscow had warned American citizens to avoid large crowds in the city for two days, citing intelligence about extremist groups planning to attack gatherings, including concerts. The warning was noted by American journalist Trey Yingst on X.
Britain echoed the concern, urging its citizens to stay away from Russia. The country’s president dismissed the advisories as attempts to destabilize Russian society, arguing that such cautions were provocative statements by Western authorities about the possibility of terrorist attacks.
Remembering the Dubrovka theater siege
Images circulating online show scenes of panic and crowds trying to flee a center venue, with some videos depicting armed men firing on those trapped and others taking cover behind columns. One clip shows the auditorium of a large theater as people scramble to evacuate during gunfire.
These depictions evoke the Dubrovka theater siege in Moscow, where in October 2002, roughly fifty armed separatists from the Islamist Chechen movement killed 170 people and took 850 hostage as they pressed for Russian military actions in the Chechen Republic during the Second Chechen War.
Moscow suspends mass events
The Moscow city government announced the suspension of all major weekend events across the capital in the wake of the attack. The mayor stated that no sports, cultural, or other large gatherings would take place until further notice, asking residents for understanding as security measures were increased at airports and other hubs across the city.
Officials confirmed additional casualties and stressed the need for vigilance as investigators sought to determine the attackers’ motives and affiliations. Security agencies noted tightened procedures at transit points and public spaces as part of a broader effort to prevent further incidents.
Russia’s history of major terrorist attacks
Should investigators confirm the incident as an act of terrorism, it would mark the first major attack since Russia began its current conflict in Ukraine. Russia has experienced several high-profile terrorist incidents over the past 15 years, summarized by EFE in historical timelines:
In 2009, a bombing on the Nevski Express, the high-speed train linking Moscow and St. Petersburg, killed 27 and injured more than 150. In 2010, two Chechen suicide bombers detonated belts in Moscow metro stations, claiming 40 lives and injuring more than 140. In 2011, a bombing at Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport left 37 dead and 172 wounded. In 2017, a suicide attack on the St. Petersburg metro killed 16 and injured more than 60.
These events underscore years of threats faced by major Russian cities and the ongoing challenge of safeguarding large-scale public spaces and transportation networks in a volatile regional security landscape.