Watch: President Putin Addresses Nation on Terrorist Attack at Crocus City Hall Near Moscow

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A shooting occurred on Friday evening in the Crocus City Hall concert venue, in the city of Krasnogorsk, outside Moscow, followed by a massive fire. Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of Rossiya Segodnya news agency, Sputnik's parent company, reported that the number of victims of the attack has reached 143.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has addressed Russians over the terrorist attack on Crocus City Hall near Moscow, calling the events "bloody and barbaric."
"I am speaking to you today in connection with the bloody, barbaric terrorist act, the victims of which were dozens of innocent, peaceful people," Putin said.
He also expressed his deep and sincere condolences to the families of the victims of the deadly terrorist attack.
The president declared March 24 a national day of mourning for the victims of the terrorist attack and expressed his gratitude to all the ambulance crews, firefighters and rescue workers who did their best to save people's lives during and after the terrorist attack.
Putin also said that all four perpetrators of the terrorist attack were found and apprehended, and investigative and law enforcement agencies will do everything to establish all the details of the terrorist attack.
Those who attacked the concert venue tried to escape to Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a "window" was prepared for them to cross the border.
"Currently, we can say the following: all four direct perpetrators of the terrorist attack, all those who shot and killed people, have been found and detained. They tried to escape and were moving toward Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared on the Ukrainian side for them to cross the state border," the leader pointed out.
Russian security services deployed around the Crocus City Hall concert venue following Friday's deadly terrorist incident. - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 23.03.2024
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Additional anti-terrorism and anti-sabotage measures have been initiated across Russia, the president added.
Putin also assured that all the perpetrators, organizers, and customers of the terrorist attack will be punished fairly.
"Terrorists, murderers, non-humans will face the unenviable fate of retribution and oblivion," the president pointed out.
He added that Russia's current priority is to prevent those behind the deadly terrorist attack from committing new crimes.

"In Moscow and the Moscow Region, in all regions of the country, antiterrorism and counter-sabotage measures have been introduced. The main thing now is to prevent those behind this bloodshed from committing new crimes," Putin said.

Putin concluded that no one will be able to "sow poisonous seeds of discord and feud" in Russia's multinational society.
A Sputnik correspondent who witnessed the attack reported that at least three men in camouflage broke into the music hall, shooting people point-blank and throwing incendiary bombs. According to the latest data from the Russian Investigative Committee, at least 133 people died in the terrorist attack and many others were injured.
Eleven people were detained in connection with the attack, including four who were directly involved, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said.
One of the terrorist suspects detained said he shot people at the concert venue for money. At first, the man stated he was promised 500,000 rubles ($5,400), but only half of the promised amount had been transferred to his card. However, later, the suspect said he had been promised about 1 million rubles ($10,830).
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