Russian authorities announced on Saturday that they had apprehended all four suspects believed to have perpetrated a shooting spree in a concert hall close to Moscow, Reuters reports. President Vladimir Putin vowed to apprehend and penalize those responsible for the assault.
Investigation into Potential Connections
While the militant Islamist group Islamic State claimed responsibility for the incident, there were indications suggesting Russia was investigating a potential Ukrainian connection, despite vehement denials from Ukrainian officials asserting Kyiv's lack of involvement. The Russian state Investigative Committee reported a death toll of 133, while State TV editor Margarita Simonyan previously mentioned 143 fatalities, although she did not disclose her source.
In a televised address, Putin disclosed that 11 individuals, including the four gunmen, had been apprehended. He stated, "They attempted to conceal themselves and headed towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary information, arrangements were made on the Ukrainian side for their border crossing." The Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed that the suspects had ties in Ukraine and were detained near the border, with plans to transfer them to Moscow.
Ukrainian Denials and Response
Ukrainian military intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov refuted any Ukrainian involvement, emphasizing Ukraine's defense of its sovereignty against Russian aggression. He dismissed the FSB's assertion that the suspects were apprehended en route to Ukraine as "another fabrication by Russian intelligence services."
During his address, Putin condemned the perpetrators as "international terrorists" and pledged collaboration with any nation committed to combating terrorism. He asserted, "We will identify and punish all those behind the terrorists, who orchestrated this atrocity against Russia, against our people."
Footage from the incident depicted gunmen clad in camouflage opening fire with automatic weapons at concert attendees in the Crocus City Hall near Moscow. Witnesses described chaos as attendees fled the scene amidst gunfire and screams. Some victims succumbed to gunshot wounds, while others perished in a massive fire ignited within the venue, reportedly ignited by the assailants using petrol from canisters.
International Reaction and Verification
Russian legislator Alexander Khinshtein revealed that the perpetrators fled in a Renault vehicle, which authorities later intercepted in the Bryansk region, approximately 340 km southwest of Moscow. The suspects, armed with a pistol and an assault rifle magazine, were found in possession of Tajikistan passports.
Television editor Margarita Simonyan shared a video featuring one of the suspects undergoing aggressive interrogation, where he confessed to receiving instructions via Telegram to execute the attack in exchange for financial compensation.
The Kremlin disclosed that Putin held discussions with the leaders of Belarus, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan, emphasizing their collective commitment to combat terrorism.
Following the assault, long queues formed in Moscow as citizens volunteered to donate blood, with health officials reporting over 120 injuries.
ISIS Claim and Global Response
While ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, releasing a photograph of the alleged assailants, the United States verified the group's involvement, warning Moscow of the impending threat in recent weeks.
Friday's incident occurred just 20 km from the Kremlin, coinciding with a prior warning from the U.S. embassy in Russia regarding potential extremist activity in Moscow. Hours earlier, the FSB thwarted an ISIS-affiliated assault on a Moscow synagogue, highlighting the group's persistent targeting of Russia.
Putin's intervention in the Syrian civil war in 2015, backing President Bashar al-Assad against opposition forces and ISIS, has drawn criticism from ISIS-K, the Islamic State affiliate focused on Russia.
The broader Islamic State organization has claimed responsibility for numerous deadly attacks worldwide, eliciting condemnation from global powers, former Soviet republics, and the United Nations Security Council.
In response to the attack, Russia bolstered security measures across its airports, transport hubs, and the capital, canceling major public events as a precautionary measure.
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