VIETNAM, March 23 - HÀ NỘI — Acting State President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân on Saturday cabled a message of condolences to Russian President Vladimir Putin over a terrorist attack on Crocus City Hall in Moscow on March 22 evening (local time) that left many people dead and injured.

In the same day, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn also sent his condolences to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

Spokeswoman for the foreign ministry Phạm Thu Hằng the same day also issued a statement strongly condemning terrorism in all forms and firmly believes that the perpetrators will be strictly punished, in response to the terrorist attack in Moscow.

“We are deeply appalled upon learning about this brutal terrorist attack and would like to extend our deepest condolences and sympathies to the Russian Government, people and families of the victims”, she said.

According to the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia, no Vietnamese citizen has been reported as victim in the incident so far.

Following the ministry’s directions, the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia is working closely with local authorities to keep a close watch on the situation and ready to take necessary protective measures in case any Vietnamese citizens are affected.

The embassy urged Vietnamese citizens in Russia to avoid crowded areas, stay informed about the situation and immediately contact the embassy via the citizen protection hotline +79166821617 or the citizen protection call centre in Việt Nam +84981848484 in case of emergency.

By Saturday afternoon, the death toll in the shooting rampage has reached 93 people, while 11 suspects have been detained, according to Kremlin.— VNS