On the 22nd (local time), audience members scream and evacuate after being shot by gunmen at the Krokus City Hall concert hall in Krasnogorsk, northwest of Moscow, Russia. (Image source: X Capture)
“The terrorists saw us and one of them ran and started shooting. “I had no choice but to lie down on the floor and pretend to be dead.”
A teenage girl who survived the shooting attack that hit the Crokus City Hall concert hall in northwest Moscow, Russia on the 22nd (local time) is terrified as she remembers the incident. Although he barely survived the indiscriminate shooting, he suffered burns from the fire that the terrorists lit in the concert hall after the shooting. He was lying in hospital with the left side of his face and left arm wrapped in gauze, unable to speak, telling Russian state media ‘RT’ on the 23rd, “I believe the girl is next to me dead at last.”
This terrorist attack happened just 20km away from the Kremlin Palace, the Russian presidential office, five days after President Vladimir Putin almost opened the way to life in power in the Russian presidential election. It is considered to be the worst terrorist attack to occur in Russia since the Beslan school hostage incident in 2004 where 314 people were killed in a clash between Chechen rebels and Russian troops. The burden is sure to increase on President Putin, who has been emphasizing the image of a ‘strong leader’ to the extent that people call him a ‘modern Tsar (emperor of Russia).’
● Shooting at members of the audience and setting others on fire as they leave
On this night, a concert by Picnic, a famous Russian rock band that has been active since 1978, was to be held at this location. It was such a popular concert that all 6,200 seats were sold. However, as armed soldiers fired automatic rifles indiscriminately from the front gate, both inside and outside the concert hall became a ‘living hell’. The terrorists opened fire when locking the exit and set the concert hall on fire.
According to Reuters, witnesses said that terrorists wearing camouflage uniforms came out of a minivan in front of the concert hall around 7:40 pm The terrorists are said to be armed with automatic rifles, pistols, knives, and Molotov cocktails. They started shooting inside the glass doors of the concert hall and even targeted people across the street. As dozens of people fell to the ground from gunshots, they entered the concert hall.
The audience inside the concert hall mistook the sound of gunfire as the start of a concert and did not evacuate at first. Some members of the congregation suffered a disaster while trying to evacuate people. “As people rushed to the back of the stage, one of the terrorists blocked the way,” said Elena (61) to RT. “A member of the audience then took the gun from the terrorist and knocked him out with the barrel, allowing dozens of people to escape.” However, he expressed remorse, saying, “I don’t believe he survived.”
The terrorists sprayed flammable liquid on the curtains and seats of the concert hall, set it on fire, and then fled. According to local media, dozens of bodies were found in places where bystanders hid to avoid gunfire and fire, such as bathrooms and emergency stairs.
● Putin warned that “those behind him will be punished”…
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that it had arrested 11 people involved, including four key men. In particular, key suspects were caught in Bryansk, 300 km south-west of Moscow. A handgun, an assault rifle magazine, and a Tajikistan passport were found in their vehicle. It can be assumed that the majority of suspected terrorists are foreigners from Tajikistan who were initiated.
According to a video of the suspects released by RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan, one of the suspects, Shamsuddin Faridun (26), said that an unknown ‘preacher’ contacted him on Telegram about a month ago. Faridun said, “I was promised 500,000 rubles (about 7.3 million won) as compensation for the crime, and I was told again, ‘I will give you 1 million rubles later.'”
The international community is paying attention to the fact that the worst terrorist disaster in 20 years has occurred at a time when there is considerable internal fatigue due to the protracted war in Ukraine. In that respect, one might feel the ‘temptation of revenge’ as President Putin announced, “We will find out and punish everyone behind terrorism.” However, some point out that it is a dilemma as to who can draw which card. Central Asia is Russia’s ‘back door’ in the face of Western sanctions, so it is demanding to take a hard line response.
Reporter Lee Ki-wook 71wook@donga.com
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