Russia marked a national day of mourning on Sunday, March 24, to honor the lives lost in a tragic attack at a concert hall in the suburbs of Moscow.
On that somber Sunday, Russia’s Investigative Committee announced the recovery of 137 bodies from the Crocus City Hall, the site of the devastating mass shooting that occurred on Friday, as reported by The New York Times.
President Vladimir Putin expressed the nation’s collective grief over what he described as the deadliest terrorist attack in two decades. He pledged to bring those responsible to justice, emphasizing the importance of preventing further atrocities by the perpetrators. “The whole country, our entire people, mourns with you,” Putin stated, committing to a relentless pursuit of justice for the victims.
The Islamic State group’s affiliate in Afghanistan has claimed responsibility for the heinous act, a claim corroborated by U.S. intelligence officials. However, Russian state media have pointed fingers at Ukraine, which is currently engaged in conflict with Russia. Ukraine has refuted these allegations, as noted by the Times.
In his address, Putin refrained from blaming any particular side, focusing instead on the broader threat of terrorism. “We know what the threat of terrorism is,” he remarked, calling for global cooperation against the scourge of international terrorism.
Following the attack, on Saturday, March 23, Russian law enforcement apprehended four men suspected of orchestrating the attack in Krasnogorsk. Putin revealed that they were apprehended while attempting to flee to Ukraine, according to the Associated Press, adding that a total of 11 individuals had been detained in connection with the attack.
The owner of Crocus City Hall has vowed to rebuild and restore everything that was lost in the attack, which resulted in damages exceeding $100 million, as reported by the Times.