Moscow's Crocus City Hall now

US, UK intel knew of heightened terror threat ahead of concert hall attack: retired FSB colonel

Former FSB Lieutenant Colonel Alexei Filatov says he is “100 percent” certain of who is behind the terror attack on Crocus City Hall venue.

“What can be seen from the organization, from the forces and means used, is that everything was planned in advance. That is, it was not some kind of prank of semi-criminal elements.

Furthermore, I see that one group ‘worked’ on targeting people around the hall, while the second set fire to the roof, which seems to have now collapsed, in order to make the terror attack look ‘very effective’ in the media,” with the image seen round the world being of “practically the best concert venue in Russia” on fire, Filatov told Sputnik.

Filatov found it curious that the US and British embassies, at the behest of their respective security services, had asked their citizens living in or visiting Russia not to take part in any mass public events on March 8 – several weeks before Friday’s attacks.

“They knew about some terrorist incident that was being planned,” the counter-terrorism expert believes.

Filatov, who is a veteran of Chechnya and a special anti-terrorist operation to free hostages in Budennovsk, Stavropol Krai in 1995, has no doubt that Ukrainian intelligence is behind Friday’s attack. The Kiev regime has publicly denied responsibility.

CIA Vet: Why is the US rushing to deny Ukrainian involvement in Moscow terrorist attack?

The Biden administration has no basis for confidently declaring that Ukraine had nothing to do with the Moscow terrorist attack, former CIA and State Department analyst Larry Johnson told Sputnik.

“We still don’t know how many shooters there were. We don’t know what the weapons were. We don’t know what the firearms were. We don’t know what the explosives were. We don’t know how many were actually killed, how many wounded, but yet the US State Department knows that it was not Ukraine. And [this statement] comes on a day that one of the CIA propaganda outlets came out and said that the Biden White House and the intelligence community were very concerned about what they call ‘brazen’, unwarranted attacks by Ukraine,” he said.

Johnson added that he suspected that US the had information about the attack beforehand did not share it with Russia.

The world's reaction to the terrorist attack in Moscow's Crocus City Hall:

🇵🇸 Palestinian President Abbas expressed condolences to Putin and the Russian people in connection with the terrorist attack in Crocus

🇨🇺 The head of the Cuban Foreign Ministry condemned the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall and expressed condolences; the President of Cuba also condemned the monstrous terrorist attack in Crocus and expressed condolences to the people and government

🇻🇪 Venezuelan President Maduro offered condolences in connection with the terrorist attack in Crocus, expressing confidence in the unity of the Russian people

🇺🇿 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Crocus; the President of Uzbekistan sent deep condolences to Putin in connection with the tragic events at Crocus

🇮🇹 The head of the Italian Foreign Ministry said that the country's government condemns any terrorist attacks, expressed support for the families of those killed in Crocus; the Italian PM called the terrorist attack in the Moscow region an "unacceptable massacre"

🇪🇬 Egypt condemns the Crocus attack

🇮🇷 Iranian Foreign Ministry condemns terrorist attack at Crocus

🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan condemns the terrorist attack in the Moscow region and declares support for efforts aimed at combating terrorism, President Japarov said in a telegram to Putin

🇵🇰 The Pakistani Foreign Ministry condemned the “horrible attack” at Crocus City Hall and expressed condolences

🇧🇾 President of Belarus Lukashenko expressed condolences to Putin in connection with the emergency at Crocus City Hall, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry reported

🇹🇷 The head of the Turkish Foreign Ministry called Lavrov and on behalf of Erdogan conveyed condolences to the people of Russia, Zakharova said

🇷🇸 Serbian President Vucic expressed condolences to the citizens and authorities of Russia in connection with the terrorist attack

🇦🇿 Azerbaijan condemns the terrorist attack in Crocus, this is stated in a statement by the country's Foreign Ministry; the President of Azerbaijan expressed condolences to Putin

🇸🇾 Syria expressed condolences to the families of the victims of the terrorist attack in Crocus and wishes a speedy recovery to the victims

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia condemned the terrorist attack in Crocus

🇪🇺 The EU condemned the terrorist attack in the Moscow region, follows from the statement.

🇦🇪 The UAE condemned the terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall and expressed condolences to the families of the victims, the Foreign Ministry reported.

▪️ The US Embassy is shocked by the terrorist attack at Crocus and expresses condolences to the Russian people, the diplomatic mission said

▪️ The British Embassy condemned the terrorist attack in Crocus and expressed condolences to the families and friends of the victims and victims

🇬🇷 The Greek Foreign Ministry condemned the terrorist attack in Crocus near Moscow and called it terrible

🇹🇯 Tajikistan strongly condemns the terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall, the republic’s Foreign Ministry reported.

🇫🇷 The French Foreign Ministry expressed condolences in connection with the terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall.

🇦🇹 The Austrian Foreign Ministry said it was shocked by the terrible news from Russia and expressed condolences to the families of the victims

🇪🇸 The Spanish Foreign Ministry said it was shocked by the news from Russia, expressed solidarity with the families of the victims, and condemned any form of violence

🇨🇭Switzerland is shocked by the terrorist attack in Crocus and expresses condolences to the families of the victims, the Foreign Ministry reported

🇮🇱 The Israeli Foreign Minister expressed condolences to the families of the victims and injured in the terrorist attack in Crocus

A helicopter from the Ministry of Emergency Situations extinguishes a fire in Moscow's Crocus City Hall

❗️The fire in Moscow's Crocus City Hall has been localized, the Ministry of Emergency Situations stated.

❗️Head of the Russian Ministry of Health: after the terrorist attack in Crocus, 115 people were hospitalized, 5 of them children. One child and 60 adults are in serious condition. More than 30 people sought outpatient care.

The UN Secretary General "in the strictest terms" condemns the terrorist attack in Crocus and expresses condolences to the government and people of Russia, his office said

Zakharova thanked the UN Secretary General for the prompt adjustment and formulation of a clear position on the terrorist attack in Crocus.

Initially, the Secretary General's office stated that it was saddened by the incident; Guterres later condemned the terrorist attack and expressed condolences.

What we know about the Moscow Crocus Concert Hall Terrorist Attack

▪️ A shooting occurred at the Crocus City Hall concert venue in Moscow before the start of the Piknik band's performance, at least 3 people in camouflage opened fire;

▪️ After that the gunmen threw a grenade or an incendiary bomb, which started a fire;

▪️ 40 people died in attack and 145 were hospitalized, 9 of them in grave condition, after the attack, according to the list published on the website of the Regional Health Ministry;

▪️ Special Rapid Response Squad (SOBR), Mobile Special Purpose Squad (OMON), firefighters and more than 50 ambulance crews rushed to the scene;

▪️ An operative staff was deployed near the site of the attack, from which coordinated instructions are being received;

"The President [Putin] is constantly receiving all the information about the developments from all relevant government agencies and about measures being taken services. The president has issued all the necessary orders," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said;

▪️ The fire in the Crocus City Hall has already been localized, the Russian Emergencies Ministry said;

▪️ Russia's Investigative Committee has qualified the attack as a terrorist attack;

▪️ More than twenty countries condemned the terrorist attack and expressed condolences to the families of the victims;

▪️ Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova expressed bewilderment over the White House's statements for hastily absolving Ukraine of responsibility for the terrorist attack in Moscow:

The White House said it saw no indication that Ukraine or Ukrainians were involved in the terrorist attack in Moscow. On what basis do officials in Washington draw any conclusions about anyone's innocence in the midst of a tragedy? If the US has or had reliable information in this regard, then it must be immediately transferred to the Russian side.

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🇺🇳 The First Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN published a Security Council Press Statement on Terrorist Attack in Moscow Region, the Russian Federation:

The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack at a concert hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region, the Russian Federation, on 22 March 2024. This reprehensible act of terrorism resulted in the grievous loss of dozens of lives and has left more than 100 injured, some in critical condition.

Thirty minutes of explosions and smoke: Moscow terror attack survivor reveals how the ordeal happened

“Two minutes before the concert started, there were bangs, some explosions from the lower floors, and the loudspeakers told ticket holders that there was shooting,” Alexander, a survivor of the attack, told Sputnik.

“A security guard let us into the boiler room where water or fire tanks are kept. There were around 50 people in there amid the smoke for about 25 to 30 minutes. We saved ourselves with hydrants that worked there, wet our clothes and put them on our faces, sat on the floor as low as possible, tried to break the doors, which were barricaded from the back side. After that, Ministry of Emergency Services rescuers broke down the door. We responded and exited as a group. I didn't see anyone when I ran out.“

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Situation around the Crocus City Hall: Fire has been extinguished, large number of ambulances parked outside the building, helicopters heard flying nearby.

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Kremlin: Putin briefed by ministers on Moscow terror attack response

▪️ The heads of the FSB, Interior Ministry, Investigative Committee and Rosgvardia have reported to Putin on the progress of the investigation into the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall

▪️ Putin was briefed by the Minister for Emergency Services on the measures being taken to offer all forms of help and save the lives of those who suffered during the terrorist attack

▪️ At the same time Putin held a conversation with Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko and Moscow Region Governor Andrey Vorobyov. They informed Putin about measures taken to help the victims of the attack.

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More than 60 people were killed in the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall, Russia's Investigative Committee said, adding that the number of victims could increase

110 adults and 5 children are now in hospitals after the terrorist attack, 60 adults are in grave condition, Moscow Region Governor Vorobyov said

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