'Heinous terrorist attack': World reacts to Moscow concert hall bloodbath

Gunmen have opened fire at a rock concert in a Moscow suburb killing at least 40 people, wounding more than 140 and setting off an inferno in the theatre, authorities said, prompting global condemnations.

Fire quickly spread through the Crocus City concert hall in the Krasnogorsk suburb in the north of the Russian capital, which can hold several thousand people and has hosted top international artists.

Authorities said a "terrorist" investigation had been started and President Vladimir Putin was receiving "constant" updates.

Here are some of the initial reactions:

'A monstrous crime' — Russia

"Vladimir Putin was informed about the beginning of the shooting in the first minutes of what happened in Crocus City Hall," the Kremlin said.

"The president constantly receives information about what is happening and about the measures being taken through all relevant services. The head of state gave all the necessary instructions," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova called on the international community to condemn the incident, calling it "a monstrous crime".

'Heinous terrorist attack' — Türkiye

Türkiye strongly condemned the "terrorist" attack in Moscow.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was among the first to tell his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov that Ankara condemns the "heinous terrorist attack" in the Moscow region, Turkish diplomatic sources said.

In a phone call, Fidan expressed Türkiye's condemnation of the attack to Lavrov while conveying condolences to the Russian nation and government.

Separately, Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement: "It is with great sadness that we learned of the many deaths and injuries resulting from the attack on a concert hall in Moscow this evening."

'All of them must be...destroyed' — Medvedev

Former Russian president Medvedev demanded "total execution of terrorists, repression of their families" in response to the shooting.

"Russia will find and destroy Ukraine's top officials if they are linked to the gun attack outside Moscow that left dozens dead on Friday," Medvedev said.

"If it is established that these are terrorists of the Kiev regime ... all of them must be found and ruthlessly destroyed as terrorists," Medvedev wrote in a post on Telegram, adding that "official representatives of the state that committed such a crime" would also be punished.

'Nothing to do [with the attack]' — Ukraine

Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak denied Kiev's involvement in the attack, saying Kiev "certainly has nothing to do" with deadly shooting near Moscow.

The main intelligence directorate of the Ukrainian defence ministry accused Russian secret services of planning the deadly attack on a concert hall.

"The terrorist attack in Moscow was a planned and deliberate provocation by the Russian special services on (Vladimir) Putin's orders," the service said on Telegram, adding that the aim was to "further escalate and expand the war" with Ukraine.

'Kiev [not] involved' — US

The White House rejected any Ukrainian role in a shocking shooting attack on a Moscow concert.

US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said, "there's no indication" that Ukraine was involved in the "terrible" attack, stating quickly after the news broke that he "would disabuse you at this early hour of any connection to Ukraine."

"The images are just horrible and just hard to watch and our thoughts obviously going to be with the victims of this terrible, terrible shooting attack," he told reporters.

'Condemn attack in strongest possible terms' — UN

UN chief Antonio Guterres "condemns in the strongest possible terms" the attack on a concert hall in Moscow, his spokesman said.

"The Secretary General conveys his deep condolences to the bereaved families and the people and the Government of the Russian Federation," spokesman Farhan Haq added in a statement.

'Shocked and appalled' — EU

The EU expressed shock over the attack.

"The European Union was 'shocked' and 'appalled' by Moscow terrorist attack," EU spokesperson said.

'US, and UK knew of shooting' — Serbia

Serbian President Aleksandr Vucic said that US, and UK knew of shooting at concert hall in Russia, and issued terror attack alert some time ago.

'An odious attack' — France

"The images from Moscow tonight are horrifying. Our thoughts go to the victims and to those injured as well as to the Russian people," the French Foreign Ministry wrote on X, the former Twitter.

"All effort has to be made to determine the cause of these odious acts," it added.

'Bloody and brutal terrorist attack — Iran

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani condemned what he called the "bloody and brutal terrorist attack".

Extending condolences to Russia's government and people, especially the families of the victims, Kanaani underlined Tehran's support for Moscow following the deadly incident.

'Shocked by the news' — Spain

Spain said on Friday it was "shocked" by an attack on a Moscow concert, saying it "condemns any form of violence".

"We are shocked by the news from Russia. Our solidarity with the victims, their families and the Russian people. Spain condemns any form of violence," the Spanish foreign ministry wrote on X, the former Twitter.

'Shocked by the attack' — Spain

Spain said it was "shocked" by an attack.

"We are shocked by the news from Russia. Our solidarity with the victims, their families and the Russian people. Spain condemns any form of violence," the Spanish Foreign Ministry wrote on X, the former Twitter.

'Massacre of innocent civilians....unacceptable' — Italy

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the attack as an "odious act of terrorism".

"The horror of the massacre of innocent civilians in Moscow is unacceptable," Meloni said in a statement, expressing her "full solidarity with the affected people and the victims' families".