New Delhi: A day after the devastating terrorist attack in Moscow that claimed the lives of over 130 people, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar extended his “deepest condolences” to his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov during a conversation on Sunday, as Russia observed a day of mourning.
Taking to X, Jaishankar wrote, “Spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Conveyed our deepest condolences on the loss of lives in the horrific terrorist attack in Moscow.”
Spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Conveyed our deepest condolences on the loss of lives in the horrific terrorist attack in Moscow.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (Modi Ka Parivar) (@DrSJaishankar) March 24, 2024
On Saturday, Russia announced that all four gunmen believed to be responsible for the mass shooting at a concert hall near Moscow have been arrested, as President Vladimir Putin vowed to pursue and punish those accountable for the heinous act.
While the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, there were indications suggesting Russia’s investigation was also exploring a potential Ukrainian connection, notwithstanding denials from Ukrainian authorities regarding any involvement from Kyiv.
In addressing the incident at Crocus City Hall, Putin noted that the attackers attempted to flee and alleged that they were heading towards the Ukrainian border.
“They tried to escape, they were moving towards the border of Ukraine… The investigative authority will do everything to identify them. These criminals went specifically to kill our people. We expect that other nations that share our pain will cooperate with us. These terrorists have no nationality,” President Putin said.
As per reports, the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack through statements on affiliated social media platforms. Additionally, a US intelligence said that the Islamic State’s branch in Afghanistan had orchestrated a plot targeting Moscow, and this information had been conveyed to the Russian authorities, AP reported.
Investigations have also revealed that the fatalities resulted from both gunfire and smoke inhalation as a fire engulfed the venue, which boasts a seating capacity of 6,000.
