VLADIMIR Putin rubbished warnings from the US and UK about an "imminent" terror attack just three days before the Moscow massacre.
Russia is in mourning after more than 100 people - including children - were slaughtered in an ISIS assault on a packed concert at the Crocus City Hall.
US and UK officials had issued a warning to Putin's government weeks ago about the threat of a possible attack on Russia's capital - urging their own citizens to avoid mass gatherings.
But just days ago, Putin brazenly rubbished the claims - insisting they were "blackmail" and "provocative".
The massacre at the concert comes just weeks after Putin secured another term as president in a "sham" election - boasting he won 87 per cent of the vote.
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He often portrays himself as a strongman leader and the protector of Russia - an image which may now be shaken after the country's worst terror attack in 20 years.
Days before the massacre, Putin was attempting to dismiss the warning issued by the West.
He said: "I’ll remind you of recent, let’s say directly, provocative statements of certain official Western structures about potential terror attacks in Russia.
"All of this looks like obvious blackmail and an attempt to intimidate, destabilise our country."
And then some 72 hours later, the bloody attack was unleashed on concertgoers gathered at the venue just outside Moscow.
US officials have said they believe ISIS-K - a brutal Afghanistan-based splinter cell of the terror group - is behind the operation.
The jihadis were also quick to claim responsibility for the bloodshed on Telegram.
Russia has not outright blamed anyone yet - but pro-Putin officials have sought to attempt to pin blame on Ukraine.
Ukraine strongly denies any involvement in the massacre.
Masked men in camouflage gear wielding automatic weapons stormed the Crocus City Hall last night - opening fire and hurling explosives into a crowd.
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What we know so far:
- At least 133 dead including children in the terrorist attack in Moscow
- Gunmen armed with automatic weapons & explosives stormed the Crocus City Hall last night at 8pm local time
- Some 6,000 fans were gathered to watch Russian rock band Picnic
- Fires were set in the venue and burned out of control - hampering the rescue mission
- Suspects went on the run - with Russia claiming four have since been arrested
- ISIS have claimed responsibility for Russia's worst terror attack in 20 years
- Ukraine has denied anything to do with the massacre
- US and British intelligence warned Russia two weeks ago about the threat - but were dismissed
Some 6,000 people are believed to have been inside the venue watching Russian rock band Picnic when the bloodshed began.
The gunmen began shooting civilians at point-blank range - through glass doors, turnstiles and then the concert hall itself, traumatised witnesses said.
Devastating footage showed piles of bodies outside the blackened concert venue on the western edge of Moscow.
Three children were killed in the attack and four more are in hospital.
Firefighters and emergency workers are now facing the grim task of going through the smouldering ruins to potentially find even more victims.
The death toll continues to rise as more bodies are dragged from the rubble in an operation that could least "at least a few more days", Moscow's governor said.
Russia's security service (FSB) launched a massive manhunt to catch those responsible and have now detained 11 suspects, including four it says were "directly" involved in last night's attack.
UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron condemned the deadly terror attack.
He wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "We offer our heartfelt condolences and express our deepest sympathy to the families of the many victims. Nothing can ever justify such horrific violence."
Explosions were reported at the venue while panicked people were seen fleeing as the gunmen are believed to have taken hostages.
One witness said: “We huddled in a corner at the entrance. He [gunman] came up and started shooting directly at people.
“They had black hair. They were shouting at each other and it was not Russian speech.”
Opened in October 2009, Crocus City Hall is located in the city's Krasnogorsky District.
Another woman told how she feigned being shot - which saved her life.
She said: “They [the terrorists] were standing at the exit, we didn't go there, but they saw us."
“One of them came running back and started shooting at us.
“I fell on the floor, and pretended to die. A girl next to me was killed.
“Then a fire started .“They [the terrorists] closed the door, but I guess they couldn't lock it. I lay under the door and breathed the air coming through there."
The attackers reportedly emerged from the underground car park and accessed the building.
Gunfire could heard in multiple videos posted by Russian media and Telegram channels.
One showed two men with rifles moving through the hall.
Another one showed a man inside the auditorium, saying the assailants set it on fire, with constant gunshots ringing out in the background.
A witness told RIA Novosti: “People in the hall lay down on the floor to escape the shooting, lay there for 15-20 minutes, after which they began to crawl out. Many managed to get out.”
Another said: "Look how it burns. There are people inside".
Gunshots rang out in the auditorium and in the foyer at the same time, witnesses told local media outlets.
Masked gunmen set fire to chairs, which led to flames spreading throughout the building, reports say.
One witness said: “Nothing was announced at first. We were already lying on the floor between the chairs.
“They said nothing, absolutely nothing. We just lay there and didn't know what to do. We just took our seats [when the shooting started].
“It was literally 8pm, 8.05, or 8.10. Shooting started from further away, from above.
“We sat on the very top row. At first everything was ok, it was kind of unclear what it was.
“Then we realised that something was wrong when we noticed that the ticket takers with these walkie-talkies began to run from top to bottom.
“The shooting started all over again, we heard it from above, we were sitting, then we heard it, we started moving all the way down, we realised that they were also shooting below."
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin branded the attack a "terrible tragedy" and said all public events including sports and culture will be cancelled in Moscow this weekend.
He said: “Today a terrible tragedy occurred in the Crocus City shopping centre.
“My condolences to the loved ones of the victims."
