International community condemns terrorist attack in Russia

Mr. Kirby said the US was gathering information about the incident and said there was no indication that the Ukrainian government or Ukrainian citizens were involved in the terrorist attack.

The US Embassy in Russia warned on March 7 of the risk of extremist attacks in Moscow and advised US citizens to avoid crowded places. However, Mr. Kirby asserted that Washington had no prior knowledge of the attack at the Krasnogorsk theater, adding that the March 7 warning was unrelated to the incident.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said Kiev had “nothing to do” with the attack. “We have a full-scale, full-scale conflict with the regular Russian army and the Russian Federation. However, everything will be decided on the battlefield,” he said.

Crocus City Hall Theatre on the outskirts of Moscow caught fire after a shooting on March 22. Photo: AFP — Crocus City Hall Theatre on the outskirts of Moscow caught fire after a shooting on March 22. Photo: *AFP*

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) strongly condemned the "cowardly and heinous" attack. "The members of the Security Council stressed the need to hold the perpetrators, organizers, financiers and supporters of this terrorist act accountable and bring them to justice," the agency said.

Cuba, Venezuela, Germany, France and Italy also strongly condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the victims. "The images of the attack on innocent people are horrifying. The relevant information must be clarified quickly. We express our deepest condolences to the families of the victims," the German Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the international community was "obliged to condemn this terrible crime", adding that Russian authorities were doing their best to save lives. She expressed dissatisfaction with the US statement, which said Ukraine had nothing to do with the incident.

"There is a big question as to what the US bases its conclusion that someone was not involved in the tragedy while it was happening," Zakharova said. "If the US or any other country has reliable information about the incident, they should provide it to Russia immediately. If they don't have it, the White House or anyone else has no right to comment."

On the evening of March 22, a group of gunmen wearing camouflage opened fire on a crowd attending a Picnic band event at the Crocus City Hall theater in Krasnogorsk, a city west of the Russian capital Moscow.

Witnesses at the scene said the gunmen entered the main lobby of the building and shot several people at close range. The suspects also threw bottles of gasoline, setting part of the building on fire before fleeing in a white car. The fire that broke out at the theater has been brought under control.

The self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) group has claimed responsibility for the incident.

The Russian Investigative Committee said more than 60 people were killed and 145 injured, including many children. This is one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Russia in decades.

Pham Giang (According to AFP, Reuters )

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