Terror Strikes Moscow: Hundreds Dead, Court proceedings commence
The trial for the suspected perpetrators of the tragic attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue in Krasnogorsk, which occurred on March 22, 2024, began in August 2025. During the trial, four main suspects pleaded guilty and expressed remorse for their actions.
The Islamic State (IS) terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attack, a claim that Western security agencies and experts consider credible. The Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP), a branch of ISIS, is suspected to be behind the attack. The attackers were men from the Central Asian republic of Tajikistan.
The trial is taking place in a military court chamber at the Moscow City Court. The defendants are kept in glass boxes during the proceedings. Some of the co-defendants admitted partial guilt, while others declared themselves innocent. Three cells of the Islamic State - Khorasan Province group have been formed in Russia.
Six more suspected individuals, including the alleged organizers, are still at large. Over 330 people were injured in the attack, half of whom did not die from gunshot wounds but from burn injuries. Many of the bereaved and injured require psychological assistance.
The attackers opened fire on concert-goers of the Russian rock group Piknik and set fire to the building, causing part of it to collapse. The number of fatalities reported in Russian media varies, with TASS reporting 149 dead and one missing, and Interfax reporting 147 dead and 3 missing.
Russia attributes the attack to IS, but also consistently tries to pin the blame on alleged Ukrainian masterminds. However, no solid evidence has been presented to support Russia's allegations of Ukrainian involvement. Ukraine and the United States reject Russia’s accusations, labeling them propaganda and nonsense, noting that warnings about potential attacks were given to Russia beforehand.
The alleged link to Ukraine is based mainly on statements by the defendants obtained under conditions considered by human rights groups as involving torture. The government in Kyiv has denied any involvement in the attack. The trial was declared closed at the request of the prosecution.
The accusation of Ukrainian involvement is part of a politically charged narrative amid ongoing conflict and remains unproven outside Russian claims.
- The general-news coverage of the trial for the Crocus City Hall attack has extended beyond the courtroom to include discussions about the political implications of the crime-and-justice aspect, with Russia attempting to implicate Ukraine in the Islamic State attack.
- Amidst the general-news surrounding the attack, politics also play a role in shaping public opinion, as Ukraine and the United States have consistently denied any involvement and labeled Russia's accusations as propaganda.
