Russians Relive Dark Memories as Attack Shatters Moscow Bubble
- Deadliest attack in decades recalls past wave of violence
- Russians blame lapse in security, fear repercussions at home
A woman lays flowers at a makeshift memorial in front of the Crocus City Hall.
Photographer: Stringer/AFP/Getty Images
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The deadly attack in a Moscow concert hall has plunged anxious Russians back to a time they thought they’d left behind, when a wave of violence engulfed the country early in President Vladimir Putin’s rule.
The assault by gunmen as people gathered for a rock concert at Crocus City Hall killed at least 133 people on Friday night, the worst atrocity in the capital in more than two decades. Authorities continue to sift for more victims through the burnt-out husk of the giant building that’s come to symbolize a pivotal moment for many Russians, whomever they blame for the slaughter.