Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Moscow Court Hands Life Terms to Four Crocus City Hall Gunmen, Accomplices

A closed military trial with torture allegations preceded the verdict alongside disputed claims of a Ukrainian link.

Overview

  • Four Tajik nationals convicted as the principal attackers received life sentences, with 11 accomplices also given life and four others sentenced to between roughly 19 and 22 years.
  • The March 22, 2024 assault combined gunfire and arson at a rock concert in the Crocus City Hall outside Moscow, leaving about 149 dead and more than 600 injured.
  • An Islamic State affiliate claimed responsibility, while Russian authorities continued to assert a Ukrainian connection without presenting publicly disclosed evidence, which Kyiv rejects.
  • The proceedings began in August 2025 before a military court largely closed to the public, and several defendants appeared in court with visible signs of mistreatment.
  • Investigators say they are still pursuing suspected external organizers believed to be outside Russia.