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Bongani Ndlovu, Online reporter

ZIMBABWE has condemned the terrorist attack that happened in Russia on Friday where at least 137 people were killed, saying this could be by individuals who were unhappy that President Vladimir Putin won elections in that country.

Russia has since charged four men it says attacked a Moscow concert hall and killed at least 137 people.

All four appeared to have been beaten and one was brought to court in a wheelchair. They were charged with committing an act of terrorism.

The Islamic State group, or IS, said it carried out Friday’s outrage at Crocus City Hall and posted video evidence.

During the question and answer session at the Post Cabinet Media Briefing, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Dr Fredrick Shava said Zimbabwe unreservedly condemns the terrorist attack.

“Zimbabwe condemns the terrorist attack that happened in Moscow recently. And in doing so we suspect that this terrorist attack was as a follow-up of the elections that had happened in the Russian Federation in which President Putin won resoundingly. And probably there were some unhappy individuals who then conducted this attack. And I want to reemphasise that Zimbabwe condemns such attacks unreservedly,” said Dr Shava.

He said the country would like to congratulate Russian President Mr Vladimir Putin for winning elections in his country resoundingly.

“Zimbabwe has congratulated President Putin for winning the elections which were recently held in their country. And we are grateful that they invited some Zimbabweans for their elections and this broadens our appreciation of observer missions and our nationals who observed these elections came back impressed with how these elections were held,” said Dr Shava.

On Friday night, four gunmen stormed the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, a northern Moscow suburb, and began firing on some of the estimated 6,000 people who were attending a rock concert. The attackers also set fires which engulfed the venue and caused the roof to collapse.

Russian authorities said 137 people were killed and more than 100 injured, with 60 still in a serious condition.

Rescuers are continuing to search the rubble of the concert hall for victims, and regional officials said the operation would carry on through Tuesday afternoon.

The men who appeared in court on Sunday were arrested in the Bryansk region around 14 hours after the attack, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said. Bryansk is around 400km (250 miles) southwest of Moscow.

The four suspects were named by Russian authorities as Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, Saidakrami Murodali Rachabalizoda, Shamsidin Fariduni and Muhammadsobir Fayzov.