At least 40 people have been killed and over 100 others injured after armed attackers stormed the Crocus City Hall concert venue, located near Moscow, Russia, according to initial reports from the Federal Security Service. State media TASS stated that the attackers opened fire with automatic weapons and threw a grenade or incendiary bomb, causing a fire that engulfed the complex.

Video footage from the scene depicts the massive concert venue complex ablaze, with thick smoke billowing into the air. RIA Novosti reported that the roof of the venue has partially collapsed due to the attack. The incident occurred just before the music group Picnic was scheduled to perform.

State media Russia 24 revealed that unidentified individuals wearing camouflage broke into Crocus City Hall and started shooting prior to the start of the concert. Panic gripped the crowd as gunshots rang out, with people huddling together, screaming, and seeking cover behind cushioned seats, as shown in video footage.

Efforts to provide assistance and ensure the safety of those affected were immediately initiated. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin expressed his condolences, calling the attack a "terrible tragedy" and ordering all necessary assistance to be provided to victims and their families.

A SWAT team was dispatched to the area, while more than 70 ambulance teams and doctors were deployed to aid the injured. Firefighters evacuated approximately 100 people from the building, with rescuers continuing their efforts to rescue individuals from the roof, according to the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation.

In response to the attack, Sobyanin announced the cancellation of all sports, cultural, and public events in Moscow for the upcoming weekend. Investigations are underway to determine the motives behind the assault and to identify the perpetrators responsible for this heinous act of violence.

As the authorities work to support the victims and their families, the nation mourns the loss of lives in what is being considered a tragic and devastating incident at the Crocus City Hall concert venue near Moscow.