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Medvedev offers condolences to German chancellor over Berlin fair attack

"There can be no justification for this brazen crime. It demonstrates once again the need to join forces against terrorism," ads a statement, posted on the Russian government’s website

MOSCOW, December 21. /TASS/. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev expressed his condolences to German Chancellor Angela Merkel over the deadly attack on a fair in downtown Berlin.

"There can be no justification for this brazen crime. It demonstrates once again the need to join forces against terrorism. Please convey my sincere compassion and support to the bereaved families and friends, and my wishes for a quick recovery to all those injured," reads a statement, posted on the Russian government’s website.

A truck rammed into a crowd of Christmas shoppers at a fair in downtown West Berlin, on Breitscheidplatz near Kurfurstendamm Street at around 8:20 p.m. The truck steamrolled on for another 80 meters deeper into the market’s territory.

As a result, twelve people were killed and 48, some in critical condition, were taken to hospital.

The suspected perpetrator, a 23-year-old Pakistani immigrant, who entered Germany at the end of 2015 as a refugee using the "Balkan route," was released after 24 hours under arrest due to lack of evidence.