Russia has detained 11 individuals, including four suspected gunmen, in connection with a shooting spree that resulted in the deaths of at least 143 people in a concert hall near Moscow, as announced by the Kremlin on Saturday.
The militant Islamist group Islamic State has claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack, marking it as Russia’s deadliest incident in two decades.
However, there are indications suggesting a potential Ukrainian involvement, despite Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak’s statement disavowing any connection.
According to the FSB security service, all four terrorists were apprehended while attempting to flee to the Ukrainian border and had ties to Ukraine. They are now being transported to Moscow.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova declared on Telegram that Ukraine was the intended refuge for these perpetrators.
A prominent Russian lawmaker, Andrei Kartapolov, emphasized the need for a resolute response on the battlefield if Ukraine was indeed implicated.
State TV editor Margarita Simonyan shared a video of one suspect being interrogated, stating the death toll had risen to 143 without specifying the source of this information.
Earlier, Russia’s Investigative Committee reported at least 115 fatalities from the attack, involving gunmen clad in camouflage opening fire on concert attendees at Crocus City Hall, triggering a massive fire.
Amid the chaos, 28 bodies were discovered in a restroom and 14 on a staircase, with reports indicating poignant scenes of mothers embracing their children.
FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov briefed President Vladimir Putin on the detention of “four terrorists” and ongoing efforts to identify their collaborators.
Russian lawmaker Alexander Khinshtein revealed that the assailants fled in a Renault vehicle, leading to a police pursuit, arrests, and a subsequent capture operation in a forest.
During interrogation, one suspect admitted to receiving instructions via Telegram after arriving from Turkey in early March, trembling throughout the questioning.
Despite speculation, Russia has yet to provide concrete evidence linking Ukraine to the attack, a claim refuted by Ukrainian adviser Podolyak, emphasizing the ongoing conflict with Russia.
President Putin, who recently secured another six-year term, has not publicly addressed the incident but affirmed cooperation with Belarus and Uzbekistan in combating terrorism.
