Four men accused of gunning down scores of people at a concert outside the Russian capital, Moscow, have been charged with terrorism after appearing in court. The charges late on Sunday came as Russia lowered flags to half-mast for a day of mourning over the deadliest attack inside the country in two decades.
At least 137 people, including three children, were killed in the ISIL (ISIS) claimed attack. Another 182 people were wounded and health officials say some 40 of them were in “critical” or “extremely critical” condition.

Moscow’s Basmanny District Court identified the four suspects behind the attack as Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, 32; Saidakrami Rachabalizoda, 30; Shamsidin Fariduni, 25; and Mukhammadsobir Faizov, 19.
The men, all of whom are citizens of Tajikistan – were charged with committing a group terrorist attack resulting in the deaths of others. The offence carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. They were all ordered to be held in pre-trial custody until May 22. Some news agencies, citing court officials, said Mirzoyev and Rachabalizoda admitted guilt for the attack after being charged.
At court, Mirzoyev, Rachabalizoda and Fariduni showed signs of heavy bruising, including swollen faces, while Faizov was brought to court from a hospital in a wheelchair and sat with his eyes closed throughout the proceedings.
President Vladimir Putin, who has pledged to punish those behind the “barbaric terrorist attack,” said the four men had been arrested while trying to flee to Ukraine. Kyiv has strongly denied any connection to the attack.
Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said Russia would target those behind the deadly shooting, wherever they were from and whoever they were.
In video footage published by Russian media and Telegram channels with close ties to the Kremlin, one of the suspects said he was offered money to attack the Crocus City Hall.
The man said he had been promised a little more than $5,000. ISIL said on Telegram that the attack was carried out by four of its fighters, “armed with machine guns, a pistol, knives and firebombs.”
The White House said the United States government shared information with Russia early this month about a planned attack in Moscow and issued a public advisory to Americans in Russia on March 7.