MOSCOW, March 26. /TASS/. Foreign Ministers Sergey Lavrov of Russia and Mauro Vieira of Brazil have strongly condemned terrorism on any of its forms or manifestations, the Russian foreign ministry said after their phone call.
"The top Brazilian diplomat expressed solidarity with the Russian people following the terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue. He conveyed his deep condolences to the families of those killed and wished the soonest recovery to those injured," the ministry said. "The sides strongly condemned terrorism in any of its forms or manifestations."
Apart from that, the ministers "exchanged views on the situation in the Palestinian territories in light of UN Security Council resolution 2728 of March 25, as well as on the preparations for the BRICS and Group of Twenty summits due to be held in Russia and Brazil," the ministry added.
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.