MOSCOW, March 25. /TASS/. Moscow citizens donated more than 2 tons of blood over the weekend for the victims of the terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall, Deputy Mayor of Moscow Anastasia Rakova said.
"Despite the fact that there are enough blood supplies in the capital to help the victims, all weekend blood donation points worked until late in the evening, until we finished receiving all the citizens. In just a few days, over 7,000 people wishing to become donors approached us. Moscow residents helped to collect more than 2 tons of blood. We are very grateful to all the caring citizens who helped and became donors," said Rakova.
According to the Telegram channel of the capital's Department of Labor and Social Protection, volunteers supported all those who came to donate blood at the sites of the O.K. Gavrilov Blood Center and in nine blood transfusion departments of the city's hospitals. They distributed hot tea, water and food, told those waiting in line in advance about contraindications to donation, and offered sweets and tea to those who donated blood. All those waiting in line were invited to warm up in the buses.
On the evening of March 22, a terrorist attack targeted the Crocus City Hall music venue in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region, just over the Moscow city limits. According to the Russian Investigative Committee, the current death toll is 137, but may rise. The Moscow Region Health Ministry said that 182 people were injured.
Eleven individuals suspected of being involved in the terrorist attack have been apprehended, including four gunmen who were detained in the Bryansk Region, southwest of Moscow, as they attempted to seek refuge by crossing the nearby Ukrainian border.
President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address that, according to preliminary information, the Ukrainian side had prepared "a window" in the border especially for the terrorists to cross undetected. He promised to identify and punish all those who were behind the attack on Crocus City Hall and declared March 24 a day of national mourning for the victims.