The number of people killed in Friday's tragic mass shooting in Moscow is much higher than initially thought… according to the Russian president Vladimir Putin.
The controversial head of state reportedly told the nation in a televised address that 133 people had been killed in the brutal attack on Crocus City Hall, a concert venue on Moscow's western outskirts.
Putin compares the gunmen to Nazis… and says they killed in an organized manner, targeting Russian civilians and even children.
ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, but President Putin placed the blame squarely on Ukrainian officials… saying they were working to allow the perpetrators to cross the border into their country.
FWIW… an anonymous US official said The Washington Post There is no reason to doubt Islamic State's claim.
As we reported… videos of the tragic shooting went viral – with graphic scenes of death and destruction in the music hall. People huddled behind chairs as gunshots echoed through the building, and initial estimates put the death toll at more than 40.
Explosives were reportedly used in the attack, causing the entire building to catch fire.
Officials in Western countries warned their citizens against attending large public gatherings this month in the wake of Putin's recent election victory… and warned of possible terror attacks.
At least one man was arrested by police last night… caught on video being searched with his hands against a wall. It is unclear how many people were arrested and how many were involved in the mass shooting.
More people were seriously injured in the shooting – and Russia's Investigative Committee says it expects the death toll to continue to rise.
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