New Delhi: World leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi have condemned the terrorist attack in Moscow that has killed at least 115 people.
Modi said on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday (March 23): “We strongly condemn the heinous terrorist attack in Moscow. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims.”
“India stands in solidarity with the government and the people of the Russian Federation in this hour of grief,” he added.
He was among the first world leaders to condemn the attack.
We strongly condemn the heinous terrorist attack in Moscow. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims. India stands in solidarity with the government and the people of the Russian Federation in this hour of grief.
Advertisement— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 23, 2024
Chinese President Xi Jinping “strongly condemned” the attack and sent his condolences to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Xi “stressed that China opposes all form of terrorism, strongly condemns the terrorist attack and firmly supports the Russian government’s efforts to safeguard its national security and stability,” Chinese state media said.
The White House also offered its condolences to the victims of the “terrible shooting”.
“Our thoughts are with the victims of this terrible shooting attack,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
“The images are just horrible and just hard to watch.”
Meanwhile, the European Union said it was “shocked and appalled” by the Moscow attack.
French President Emmanuel Macron “strongly” condemned the attack while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the attack an “odious act of terrorism” and offered her “full solidarity with the affected people and the victims’ families”.
Germany’s foreign office also offered its condolences and called for an investigation.
The images of the terrible attack on innocent people in Crocus City Hall near #Moscow are horrific. The background must be investigated quickly. Our deepest condolences with the families of the victims.
Advertisement— GermanForeignOffice (@GermanyDiplo) March 22, 2024
“The images of the terrible attack on innocent people in Crocus City Hall near Moscow are horrific. The background must be investigated quickly,” it said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the attack “in the strongest possible terms”, his spokesman said.
“The Secretary-General conveys his deep condolences to the bereaved families and the people and the Government of the Russian Federation,” spokesman Farhan Haq said in a statement, per DW.
The attack took place in Moscow’s Crocus City Hall concert hall at around 8 pm on Friday local time.
Several gunmen had burst in and opened fire with automatic weapons.
The Russian Investigative Committee has said, as of when this article was published, that the death toll is at 133, the New York Times reported.
The assault left the concert hall engulfed in flames, with part of the roof collapsing. It is considered one of the deadliest incidents in recent Russian history.
Moscow governor Andrey Vorobyov said rescue workers will continue to scour through rubble at the destroyed concert hall in the days to come.
Putin described the attack on a Moscow concert hall as a “barbaric terrorist act”.
“I am speaking to you today in connection with the bloody, barbaric terrorist act, the victims of which were dozens of innocent, peaceful people,” he said in a televised address.
He vowed that all involved in the attack would be punished and announced a day of mourning on Sunday.
Even though the Kremlin didn’t immediately blame anyone for the attack, some Russian top officials quickly accused Ukraine, despite the lack of any evidence and the fact that the Islamic State has claimed responsibility.
Ukraine’s government denied any involvement in the attack.
