At least 40 people have been killed and more than 100 wounded according to unofficial reports in the worst terror attack in Russia in years.
In the videos, gunmen in combat fatigues opened fire and detonated explosives in a big concert hall in the outskirts of Moscow.
Photos showed the Crocus City Hall engulfed in flames as videos emerged from the concert hall attack, showing at least four gunmen opening fire from automatic weapons as panicked Russians fled for their lives.
The attackers were seen detonating explosives, as the sounds of blasts could be heard in other videos from the attack.
At least two blasts took place at the concert hall on Friday evening, news agencies reported.
As many as five gunmen dressed in camouflage clothing opened fire with automatic weapons at the music venue.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the raid, which state authorities were investigating as an act of terrorism.
Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, called the attack a “great tragedy”. At least 70 ambulances had been dispatched to the site of the attack.
Earlier this month, western countries led by the United States had issued terror warnings and told their citizens not to join public gatherings in Russia.
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Emergency workers said they had evacuated 100 people who had been sheltering in the building’s basement.
The Russian news agency 112, which specialises in crime reporting, put the death toll as high as 40 killed and more than 100 injured.
However, it is unclear if police had managed to neutralise the attackers by Friday evening, as emergency workers said they had evacuated 100 people who had been sheltering in the building’s basement.
The attack took place at a sold-out concert by the Russian rock band Piknik. Crocus City Hall is one of the largest and most popular music venues in the Moscow oblast.
Russia has not faced a large terrorist attack on its own territory since 2017, when 14 people were killed in a blast on the Saint Petersburg metro.
