Putin Declares March 24 Day Of National Mourning After Moscow Attack

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared March 24 as a national day of mourning following the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall near Moscow, which he described as a "barbaric terrorist act." The attack resulted in the death of 143 people and left close to a hundred others injured after terrorists opened fire during a concert.

Putin stated, "I am speaking to you today in connection with the bloody, barbaric terrorist act, the victims of which were dozens of innocent, peaceful people. I declare 24th March a day of national mourning."

Regarding the attackers, Putin mentioned, "They tried to escape; they were moving toward the border of Ukraine. The investigative authority will do everything to identify them. These criminals went specifically to kill our people. We expect that other nations that share our pain to cooperate with us. These terrorists have no nationality."

While Russian authorities initially pointed fingers at the Ukrainian government for the attack, Ukraine strongly denied any involvement. Ukraine's foreign ministry accused Moscow of using the attack to stoke fervor for its war efforts.

All 11 attackers involved in the shooting and fire incident have been arrested, according to news agency Reuters. The head of Russia's Federal Security Service informed Putin that four of the attackers were directly involved in the attack.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it targeted a large gathering in Krasnogorsk on Moscow's outskirts, killing and wounding hundreds. This incident follows recent efforts by Russian security agencies to thwart terrorist activities, including an attack on a synagogue in Moscow and the killing of six alleged IS members in Ingushetia.