Press releases

25 Mar 2024

Belarusians leave messages in condolence book in Russian Embassy

MINSK, 25 March (BelTA) – A condolence book for victims of the Moscow concert hall attack has been opened at the Russian Embassy in Minsk, BelTA has learned.

“Nothing can justify the inhumanity of terrorists. We share your pain and grief.” This entry was left by Deputy Prime Minister Igor Petrishenko and Chief of Staff of the Council of Ministers Konstantin Burak.

First Deputy Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Leonid Anfimov left an entry in the book of condolences; he emphasized the importance of a thorough investigation into the crime. “It’s very difficult to speak at such a moment. This monstrous massacre that was meant to intimidate progressive humanity, cannot be justified or explained. There are more good people than bad in the world,” he emphasized.

Leonid Anfimov condemned what happened in Crocus City Hall as an absolutely inhumane act.

“It was violence against civilians, and the terrorists knew that there were unarmed people there, it was just a hunt for them. It is impossible to call it anything other than medieval barbarism. Animals do not act like these people did,” said the CIS first deputy secretary general.

He emphasized the importance of establishing all the details of the crime.

“Someone had directed these perpetrators,” added Leonid Anfimov. “I think that their testimony will lay the basis for a thorough investigation. This will make it possible to shed light on what is happening in the world today: who orchestrates such acts of terrorism and is behind the terrorists as an organizer."

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Palestine to the Republic of Belarus Ahmed Mohammed al-Madbuh also left an entry in the book of condolences. He noted that terrorism cannot be justified.

“We strongly condemn this terrorist act. Terror has neither ethnicity nor religion. Therefore, these people [the perpetrators of the terrorist attack] must receive the harshest punishment. We mourn with the Russian people, there is nothing that can justify terrorism,” said the diplomat.

On the national day of mourning for those killed in the terrorist attack, Head of the Presidential Sports Club Dmitry Lukashenko and members of his family laid flowers at a spontaneous memorial commemorating the victims of the terrorist attack near Crocus City Hall in Moscow Oblast. Dmitry Lukashenko called the terrorist attack unthinkable cruelty and expressed deep condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to all the injured.

Messages in the book of condolences were left by Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin, Education Minister Andrei Ivanets, Commissioner for Religious and Ethnic Affairs Aleksandr Rumak, Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mikhail Myatlikov, and many diplomats. Chairman of the State Border Committee Konstantin Molostov emphasized that the committee and he personally took what happened as a tragedy of the fraternal nation: “We have common roots, common history. This terrorist act shocked not only Russians, but also Belarusians.”

The head of the State Border Committee said that soon after the terrorist attack, the border service of Belarus reached out to their Russian counterparts to offer assistance. “We were in touch all the time and took part in the manhunt. And we were ready for all kinds of scenarios,” he said.

“Nothing can ever justify this heinous violence,” Konstantin Molostov emphasized in his message in the condolence book in the Russian Embassy in Minsk.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Nazaruk also left an entry in the book of condolences. “This is our common grief, and we will go through it together - united and with dignity, as befits brothers. We strongly condemn the brutal murder of innocent people and declare that there can be no justification for any manifestations of terrorism. We are convinced that all those responsible for this monstrous crime, its instigators, organizers and accomplices will be identified and justly punished,” he wrote.

Trade unions also offered their condolences. Among them were Chair of the Belarusian Trade Union of Trade Workers, Consumer Cooperatives and Entrepreneurship Oksana Gerashchenko, Chair of the Belarusian Trade Union of Chemical, Mining and Oil Industry Workers Svetlana Klochok, and Deputy Chairman of the National Association of Industrial Enterprises BelAPP Aleksandr Panasyuk.

More and more people are flocking to the embassy to express their condolences. The book of condolences will be open on 25-26 March. Officials and representatives of public associations of the Republic of Belarus can leave an entry in it.



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