Over a week ago, a heinous terrorist attack occurred at a concert hall near Moscow that resulted in the deaths of 144 individuals and injuries to 551 others. Despite this tragedy, Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to attend any ceremony honoring the victims or visit their families or the wounded. The Kremlin reported that Putin feels deeply sorry for what happened and made a poignant clarification. Dmitri Peskov, the presidential spokesman, stated, “The head of state feels personally and fully involved in this type of tragedy. Believe me, even if you don’t see tears on your face, that doesn’t mean you don’t suffer.”
On March 22nd, gunmen entered Crocus City Hall, a large concert hall near Moscow, and began shooting into the crowd before setting the building ablaze. The attack claimed by ISIS-K resulted in 144 deaths and 551 injuries, making it one of Russia’s deadliest attacks in recent years. Putin waited until the following day to make a public statement about the attack and did not immediately plan to meet with the families of the victims or visit the scene of the crime.
Putin is known for his stoic demeanor and past as a Soviet secret service agent, which makes him rarely show emotion in public. However, one of his rare emotional moments was when he was filmed lighting candles in memory of those killed during an election campaign in 2012. On March 27th, Putin was seen lighting candles at one of Russia’s presidential residences in honor of those who lost their lives at Crocus City Hall.
Representatives from various countries paid tribute to those killed during the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall on March 30th. Diplomats from EU countries such as France and Germany were present alongside US officials to pay their respects. Other countries represented include Latin America
