A horrific drama is unfolding right now in the Russian capital of Moscow, where so far 40 people are reported killed and several others severely injured in what is presumed to be a terrorist attack.
Below, we provide an update on what has been reported so far and what additional information has emerged on social media.
Around 8pm local time in Moscow, gunfire suddenly erupted from several men in camouflage. This occurred at the enormously large Crocus City Hall in the Moscow suburbs.
Initially, only gunshots were reported, but subsequently, a minor explosion was heard, and at the time of writing, there is a fierce fire in the building, which could collapse at any moment. According to Russian RIA Novosti, the explosion was caused by a grenade or an incendiary device.
Witnesses have reported four shooters, but this has not yet been confirmed. Likewise, recordings on social media show that the police have arrested one person. However, this has not been confirmed by the police, so it cannot be confirmed if it was one of the shooters.
Vladimir Putin's spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, has informed the media that Putin was made aware of the tragedy a few minutes after the gunfire began, and that he has been intensely following the developments since.
At the time of writing, it is not known who is behind the attack. The band 'Piknik' was supposed to go on stage shortly after the shooting began, and therefore there were many people in the building. According to several Russian media, there were up to 7,500 people in the building when the gunfire started.
Official reports state that 40 people have died in the horrific attack.
