The terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall last spring killed 149 people and injured hundreds more

Four men charged over the terrorist attack on Moscow's Crocus City Hall last year, which killed 149 people, have pleaded guilty during the first closed session of their trial, local media have reported.

Lyudmila Aivar, a lawyer for the victims, told TASS on Monday that all the defendants accused of directly taking part in the assault - Shamsidin Fariduni, Dalerdzhon Mirzoev, Muhammadsobir Fayzov, and Saidakrami Murodali Rachabalizoda - have admitted wrongdoing and apologized to the victims.

A source involved in the process told RBK that Fariduni and Mirzoev fully admitted guilt. He added, however, that Rachabalizoda only partially accepted the charges, acknowledging participation in a terrorist organization but denying direct involvement in the attack itself.

According to Aivar, Fayzov claimed "certain individuals allegedly took advantage of his youth [and] involved and deceived him, as he had other life plans." The lawyer said eight of the 15 alleged conspirators in the attack have partially admitted guilt, while seven have rejected the charges entirely.

The court session was held behind closed doors due to the presence of classified materials, according to TASS.

The attack on Crocus City Hall - the worst in Russia since the early 2000s - occurred on March 22, 2024, when a group of gunmen stormed the venue ahead of a rock concert, indiscriminately shooting civilians and setting the building on fire. The attack killed 149 people and injured more than 600.

Several suspects, including four directly involved in the shooting, were detained by Russian security services within hours of the tragedy. Russian President Vladimir Putin at the time described the attackers as "radical Islamists," saying they were caught fleeing towards Ukraine.

Responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), a regional offshoot of the Islamic State jihadist group. Kiev has denied having any role in the terrorist act.

In June, Russia's Investigative Committee concluded its probe into the concert hall massacre, stating it was intended to destabilize Russia to Ukraine's benefit.

(RT.com)