Putin's Claim: Attackers Were Trying to Flee to Ukraine; Kyiv Denies Involvement in Moscow Suburb Attack

The Kremlin announced on Saturday, April 4, that 11 people, including four armed suspects linked to the deadly shooting on the night of April 3 at a concert hall in the Moscow suburbs, have been arrested. According to Reuters, the death toll from this attack has reached at least 143, with over a hundred others injured. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, stated in a speech that the attackers were allegedly trying to flee to Ukraine. This comes as Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to the President of Ukraine, said that Kyiv has no connection to this attack. In his televised address to the Russian people, Putin mentioned that initial information indicated that individuals in Ukraine were prepared to assist the attackers in entering Ukrainian territory from Russia. He did not provide further details but stated that all perpetrators of the attack have been arrested and that the 'instigators' and 'responsible parties' will be punished. Putin declared Sunday, April 5, as a day of national mourning across Russia. Meanwhile, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that 'all four terrorists' were arrested while heading towards the Ukrainian border. This Russian intelligence agency, like Putin, claimed that these four were in contact with individuals in Ukraine and have now been transferred to Moscow. However, the FSB, like the President, did not provide further details on this matter. In this context, the Kremlin stated that Alexander Bortnikov, head of the FSB, informed Putin about the arrest of the 'four terrorists' and that the agency is working to identify their accomplices. Meanwhile, Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated that it is now clear in which country these individuals intended to hide. Russia has yet to provide evidence of Ukraine's involvement in this attack. A Russian lawmaker named Andrei Kartapolov said that if Ukraine was involved in this attack, Russia should respond 'appropriately, clearly, and tangibly' on the battlefield. These statements come as the terrorist group ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack on the Crocus concert hall near Moscow, which has been the deadliest attack in Russia in the past 20 years. In a statement, ISIS claimed that its operatives killed and injured 'hundreds' around Moscow and caused significant destruction at the site, and afterward, returned 'safely' to their bases. The ISIS statement did not provide further details. On the other hand, in a video released by Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the state television 'RT', a young bearded man is seen being interrogated by the roadside. Ms. Simonyan, without mentioning a source, stated that the death toll from this attack has risen to at least 143. Alexander Khinshtein, a Russian lawmaker, said that the attackers were seen in a Renault vehicle on Friday night in the Bryansk region, 340 kilometers southwest of Moscow, and that they ignored a police stop order, leading to a chase in which two of them were arrested while the other two fled into the forest. According to the Kremlin's account, it appears that the two fleeing attackers in the forest have also been apprehended. According to this Russian representative, a pistol, a rifle magazine, and passports from Tajikistan were found in the vehicle carrying these individuals. Tajikistan is one of the former Soviet republics in Central Asia, and the majority of its inhabitants are Muslim. The suspect being interrogated in the released video speaks Russian with a thick accent and answers questions. He stated that he flew from Turkey to Russia on March 5 and received instructions to carry out the attack via Telegram from unknown individuals in exchange for money. The detained individual, who trembles throughout the interrogation, is initially lying on his stomach with his hands tied behind his back, and his chin is resting on the boot of one of the individuals in camouflage. The suspect then kneels. Another suspect, whose face is cut and bruised, is sitting on a bench with his hands and feet bound and is being interrogated with the help of a translator. Meanwhile, the Kremlin announced that Putin has spoken with the leaders of Belarus and Uzbekistan, who have expressed their readiness to cooperate in the fight against terrorism. Verified footage shows people sitting in their seats in the concert hall fleeing towards the exit doors, screaming upon hearing gunfire. Some victims were lying motionless on the ground, surrounded by blood. On Saturday, Moscow saw long lines of people ready to donate blood. Russian officials have stated that over 120 people were injured in this attack. An unnamed American official stated on Friday that the United States has information confirming ISIS's claim of involvement in this attack. According to him, Washington had 'appropriately' warned about the possibility of such an attack on Moscow in recent weeks. This official did not provide further details. Earlier, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow had warned earlier this month that extremists were planning an attack in Moscow after the FSB announced that an attack on a synagogue in Moscow by a group of Sunni Islamist extremists from ISIS had been thwarted.