PARIS
\nWorld leaders denounced a deadly attack by gunmen on a Moscow concert hall that killed more than 130 people and wounded dozens more.
\nFour gunmen stormed the Crocus City venue before the start of a rock concert on Friday, opened fire on the audience and set fire to the building, in an assault claimed by the Islamic State group. Here are the reactions from governments and leaders around the world.
\nPresident Vladimir Putin vowed retribution for the attack on Saturday, saying the \u201cbarbaric, terrorist act\u201d was an \u201catrocity, a strike against Russia and our people\u201d. In a televised address, he said all four perpetrators had been \u201cfound and detained\u201d after \u201ctravelling towards
\nUkraine – Kyiv, facing a Russian military offensive for the past two years, had \u201cnothing to do\u201d with the attack, presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak said on Telegram. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday that Putin was \u201cjust trying to blame it on someone else\u201d, in response to claims the attackers were heading towards Ukraine.
\nThe main intelligence directorate of the Ukrainian defence ministry said the attack was a \u201cdeliberate provocation by the Russian special services\u201d to \u201cescalate\u201d the war with Ukraine. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday condemned the attack \u201cin the strongest possible terms,\u201d spokesman Farhan Haq said.
\nGuterres \u201cconveys his deep condolences to the bereaved families\u201d, he added. The UN Security Council also offered condolences and urged all states \u201cto cooperate actively\u201d to hold perpetrators and backers of \u201cthese reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable\u201d.
\nUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the attack a \u201cheinous crime\u201d saying Washington condemns \u201cterrorism in all its forms\u201d. The United States stands \u201cin solidarity with the people of Russia in grieving the loss of life from this horrific event,\u201d Blinken said in a statement.
\nThe White House called Islamic State \u201ca common terrorist enemy that must be defeated everywhere\u201d. Washington warned Moscow this month about a \u201cplanned terrorist attack\u201d possibly targeting \u201clarge gatherings\u201d in the capital, the White House said.
\nPresident Xi Jinping \u201cstrongly condemned\u201d the attack and sent condolences to Putin, state media reported. Xi \u201cstressed that China opposes all form of terrorism, strongly condemns the terrorist attack and firmly supports the Russian government\u2019s efforts to safeguard its national security and stability\u201d, Xinhua news agency said.
\nThe EU said it was \u201cshocked and appalled\u201d by the attack \u201cThe EU condemns any attacks against civilians. Our thoughts are with all those Russian citizens affected,\u201d said a spokesman. Britain\u2019s foreign minister David Cameron said the UK condemned \u201cin the strongest terms the deadly terrorist attack\u201d. \u201cWe offer our heartfelt condolences and express our deepest sympathy to the families of the many victims,\u201d he added.
\nFrench President Emmanuel Macron said he \u201cstrongly condemns the terrorist attack claimed by the Islamic State\u201d, according to the Elysee Palace. \u201cFrance expresses its solidarity with the victims, their loved ones and all the Russian people,\u201d the palace said.
\nGerman Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned \u201cthe terrible terrorist attack against innocent spectators\u201d in a post on X, adding \u201cour thoughts are with the victims\u2019 families and all those wounded\u201d.
\nItalian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the attack an \u201codious act of terrorism\u201d. \u201cThe horror of the massacre of innocent civilians in Moscow is unacceptable,\u201d Meloni said, expressing her \u201cfull solidarity with the affected people and the victims\u2019 families\u201d.
\nSpain said it was \u201cshocked\u201d by the attack, saying it \u201ccondemns any form of violence\u201d. Our solidarity with the victims, their families and the Russian people,\u201d the Spanish foreign ministry wrote on X. The Swedish foreign affairs ministry said on X that it was \u201cappalled by the attack\u201d and condemned \u201cany attacks against civilians\u201d.
\n\u201cSaddened by tonight\u2019s tragic events in Moscow. Our hearts go out to the families of the victims and to all those affected,\u201d Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz posted on X. The presidency of the Palestinian Authority condemned the attack and \u201caffirmed its solidarity and support for the Russian leadership\u201d, the official Wafa news agency said.
\nIn a letter to Putin, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said the attack was linked to the \u201cpainful defeats of neo-Nazism\u201d in Moscow\u2019s \u201cspecial military operation\u201d in Ukraine. \u201cWe condemn this brutal act and all the bloodshed committed by terrorists around the world.\u201d
\nIranian President Ebrahim Raisi, in a message to Putin, expressed his condolences, according to the presidency website. Raisi also called for action by the international community to punish the plotters and perpetrators.
\nTurkey\u2019s foreign ministry condemned \u201cthis heinous terrorist attack on innocent civilians\u201d and sent condolences to the Russian people and government. Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairman of the African Union Commission, said on X that he was \u201cshocked to learn of the horrific terror attack in Moscow\u201d.
\nHe expressed solidarity with the Russian people and government \u201cfollowing this heinous attack\u201d.
\n\u201cWe express our support for President Vladimir Putin and raise our voice to categorically reject any act of violence,\u201d said Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on X. \u201cIndia stands in solidarity with the government and the people of the Russian Federation in this hour of grief,\u201d Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X.
\nLebanon\u2019s Iran-backed Hezbollah movement said it \u201cstrongly condemns the bloody terrorist attack\u201d, offering \u201cdeepest condolences to the Russian leadership\u201d and people.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
PARIS World leaders denounced a deadly attack by gunmen on a Moscow concert hall that killed more than 130 people and wounded dozens more. Four gunmen stormed the Crocus City venue before the start of a rock concert on Friday, opened fire on the audience and set fire to the building, in an assault claimed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":396115,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-396104","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n