Russian investigators claimed to have evidence linking the gunmen responsible for the Moscow concert hall shooting, which resulted in over 140 deaths, to “Ukrainian nationalists,” Reuters reports.
The Investigative Committee of Russia stated that they had uncovered proof of a Ukrainian connection through detained terrorists, technical devices, and financial transactions, but did not disclose the nature of this evidence. Eleven individuals were arrested following the shooting, with eight placed in pre-trial detention, including the suspected gunmen. The United States dismissed these allegations as baseless propaganda, emphasizing that the Islamic State was solely responsible for the attack.
The US had previously warned Russia about an imminent extremist attack in Moscow and provided written alerts to Russian security services. The incident has raised concerns about the priorities and capabilities of Russian intelligence agencies, which have been heavily focused on the conflict in Ukraine.
