Russia arrests suspected concert gunmen as toll hits 143
The FSB security service said that "all four terrorists" had been arrested while heading to the Ukrainian border, and that they had contacts in Ukraine
Published: 05:03 PM,Mar 23,2024 | EDITED : 09:03 PM,Mar 23,2024
People lay flowers at a makeshift memorial to the victims of a shooting incident at a concert hall outside Moscow, in central Saint Petersburg. — Reuters
MOSCOW: Russia has arrested 11 people including four suspected gunmen in connection with a shooting rampage that killed at least 143 people in a concert hall near Moscow, the Kremlin said on Saturday.
IS group claimed responsibility for Friday's attack, the deadliest in Russia for 20 years. But there were indications that Russia was pursuing a Ukrainian link, despite a statement from Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak that Kyiv had nothing to do with it.
The FSB security service said that 'all four terrorists' had been arrested while heading to the Ukrainian border, and that they had contacts in Ukraine. It said they were being transferred to Moscow. 'Now we know in which country these bloody bastards planned to hide from pursuit - Ukraine,' Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
Russia's Investigative Committee earlier said at least 115 had died in the attack, in which camouflage-clad gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons at concertgoers in the Crocus City Hall near the capital.
It said some died from gunshot wounds and others in a huge fire that broke out in the complex. Reports said the gunmen had lit the blaze using petrol from canisters they carried in rucksacks.
People fled in panic. Baza, a news outlet with good contacts in Russian security and law enforcement, said 28 bodies were found in a toilet and 14 on a staircase.
The Kremlin said FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov had reported to President Vladimir Putin that those detained included 'four terrorists' and that the service was working to identify their accomplices.
Putin said on Saturday that the four men who attacked a concert near Moscow were heading towards Ukraine when they were detained, and that they hoped to cross the border.
Putin, addressing the nation, said that some people on the Ukrainian side had prepared to let them cross the border from Russia. Ukraine has denied any involvement in the attack.
'They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them from the Ukrainian side to cross the state border,' Putin said.
Putin cast the enemy as 'international terrorism' and said that he was ready to work with any state which wanted to defeat it.
'All the perpetrators, organisers and those who ordered this crime will be justly and inevitably punished. Whoever they are, whoever is guiding them,' Putin said. 'We will identify and punish everyone who stands behind the terrorists, who prepared this atrocity, this strike against Russia, against our people.' — Reuters
IS group claimed responsibility for Friday's attack, the deadliest in Russia for 20 years. But there were indications that Russia was pursuing a Ukrainian link, despite a statement from Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak that Kyiv had nothing to do with it.
The FSB security service said that 'all four terrorists' had been arrested while heading to the Ukrainian border, and that they had contacts in Ukraine. It said they were being transferred to Moscow. 'Now we know in which country these bloody bastards planned to hide from pursuit - Ukraine,' Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
Russia's Investigative Committee earlier said at least 115 had died in the attack, in which camouflage-clad gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons at concertgoers in the Crocus City Hall near the capital.
It said some died from gunshot wounds and others in a huge fire that broke out in the complex. Reports said the gunmen had lit the blaze using petrol from canisters they carried in rucksacks.
People fled in panic. Baza, a news outlet with good contacts in Russian security and law enforcement, said 28 bodies were found in a toilet and 14 on a staircase.
The Kremlin said FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov had reported to President Vladimir Putin that those detained included 'four terrorists' and that the service was working to identify their accomplices.
Putin said on Saturday that the four men who attacked a concert near Moscow were heading towards Ukraine when they were detained, and that they hoped to cross the border.
Putin, addressing the nation, said that some people on the Ukrainian side had prepared to let them cross the border from Russia. Ukraine has denied any involvement in the attack.
'They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them from the Ukrainian side to cross the state border,' Putin said.
Putin cast the enemy as 'international terrorism' and said that he was ready to work with any state which wanted to defeat it.
'All the perpetrators, organisers and those who ordered this crime will be justly and inevitably punished. Whoever they are, whoever is guiding them,' Putin said. 'We will identify and punish everyone who stands behind the terrorists, who prepared this atrocity, this strike against Russia, against our people.' — Reuters