By Lucy Papachristou
LONDON (Reuters) – As many as 95 persons are nonetheless lacking after final week’s assault close to Moscow when gunmen sprayed concertgoers with computerized weapons and set the venue on hearth, a Russian information outlet reported on Wednesday.
The official toll from the assault on Crocus Metropolis Corridor now stands at 140 useless and 182 wounded. However the Baza information service, which has good contacts in Russian safety and legislation enforcement, stated 95 extra individuals appeared in lists compiled by the emergency companies based mostly on appeals from individuals about lacking relations.
“These lists include people with whom relatives have not been able to get in touch since the terrorist attack, but who are not on the lists of wounded and dead,” Baza stated. “Some of these people died, but have not yet been identified.”
Russian investigators stated the assault was carried out by 4 shooters utilizing Kalashnikov computerized weapons. Greater than 500 rounds had been discovered on the scene.
The taking pictures started shortly earlier than the Soviet-era rock group “Picnic” was set to play to a full home of 6,200 individuals. Greater than 200 individuals may have been within the blazing constructing moments earlier than the roof collapsed, Baza reported on Saturday, citing emergency service sources who reviewed surveillance footage.
Russian social media channels have been flooded within the days for the reason that taking pictures with appeals to assist discover victims.
Gathering in a Telegram chat referred to as “Crocus. Help Centre,” pals and relations shared names of lacking concertgoers and provided assist.
“Was there anyone on the list named Igor Valentinovich Klimenchenko?,” one consumer wrote on Saturday night time. “Can someone send the list of victims?”
The title Klimenchenko was not on the record of confirmed useless revealed by Russia’s emergencies ministry.
‘VERY WORRIED’
One other particular person wrote in the identical chat that their uncle labored not removed from Crocus and hadn’t been in contact for the reason that assault. “I’m very worried,” the nephew wrote on Saturday night time.
Native media within the Bryansk area, southwestern Russia, reported on Wednesday {that a} girl was nonetheless trying to find her son, Dmitry Bashlykov, a schoolteacher in Moscow who went to the “Picnic” live performance with a pal who managed to flee.
Bashlykov’s title was not on the emergencies ministry record.
A number of lacking individuals have since been confirmed useless, like 15-year-old Arseny, who went to the live performance together with his mom, Irina Vedeneyeva.
The SHOT Telegram channel on Sunday revealed a photograph of Arseny that it stated he despatched his grandmother shortly earlier than the live performance started, together with appeals from the “grief-stricken pensioner” to assist discover him. His mom had already been confirmed useless, SHOT stated.
Within the picture, Arseny stands in a black hooded sweatshirt in entrance of a poster for Picnic, which SHOT stated was his favorite band. On Monday, the channel wrote that Arseny’s physique had been discovered and recognized by his relations.
The names of each mom and son are on the record of confirmed useless revealed by Russia’s emergencies ministry.