Two years of tragedy at "Krokus"

      Armed men in camouflage stormed the building and opened fire on unarmed spectators. Soon after the shooting, the hall was engulfed in flames. According to official reports, 145 people died, and hundreds were injured. Two days later, on March 24, President Vladimir Putin declared a Day of National Mourning. Flags were lowered across the country, and entertainment events were canceled. In Kirov, dozens of residents gathered at Theater Square to honor the memory of the deceased. People brought flowers, lit candles, and arranged lamps to spell out "Crocus" and the date, which became one of the darkest and most terrifying memories in the lives of every citizen of the country. On the day of the attack, residents of the Kirov region were also present at Crocus. On that fateful day, a married couple—Irina and Pavel Okishev—were in the concert hall. They had come from Kirov to Moscow to celebrate Pavel's 35th birthday at a concert by the band "Piknik." When the shooting started, the couple hid in the restroom. Their loved ones hoped until the last moment that they had survived. However, on the morning of March 23, their names appeared on the official list of the deceased. On March 30, 2024, a farewell ceremony for the couple was held at the Trinity Church in Kirov. Dozens of people came to say goodbye. In memory of Irina Okisheva, who was a photographer, friends and colleagues organized an exhibition of her works—thus fulfilling the dream of the girl, which she had thought about in 2024. Among those who managed to escape was Maxim Okishev, a resident of Kirovo-Chepetsk (a namesake of the deceased but not a relative). He attended the concert as a long-time fan of "Piknik" and was sitting in the balcony. When the shooting began, he crawled out of the hall with other spectators. In the foyer, they were met by a security guard from Crocus City Hall, Alexey Osanushkov, who led about 100 people through the service areas. Later, Maxim admitted that the first period after the tragedy was difficult, but time and the support of loved ones became the best medicine. He wished strength to his fellow countrymen who lost their relatives: "The pain from what happened will never go away, but you can learn to live with it. Despite everything, life goes on." The main events surrounding "Crocus" unfolded in the courtroom. On March 12, 2026, ten days before the second anniversary, the court sentenced the perpetrators of the attack. All of them received life sentences. Earlier, in February, it became known that the prosecution had requested such a punishment for them. Today, on March 22, 2026, local public pages reported on a memorial event to be held at Theater Square and at the Vyatka Philharmonic from 12 to 3 PM. However, according to observations by reporters from Newsler.ru, who were on site around 2 PM, no official events had been organized.