Russian President Vladimir Putin has made the claim that the gunmen responsible for the deadly attack at a Moscow concert hall, which resulted in the deaths of 133 people, had links to Ukraine. This allegation was vehemently denied by Kyiv.
Putin stated that the gunmen were attempting to escape and head towards Ukraine, where there were allegedly arrangements made for them to cross the state border. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) also asserted a connection between the attackers and Ukraine, claiming that the terrorists had planned to cross the border and had contacts on the Ukrainian side.
Following the attack, pro-Putin supporters on social media platforms spread the unfounded theory of Ukrainian involvement. However, Kyiv refuted any association with the incident and labeled the FSB claims as a "provocation."
Andrii Yusov, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense in Ukraine, dismissed the FSB's statements as "absurd."
In the aftermath of the attack, four gunmen were detained by Russian authorities, along with seven other individuals. The death toll was expected to rise, with preliminary reports attributing the causes of death to gunshot wounds and poisoning by combustion products.
The Islamic State affiliate ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the attack, adding to their history of violent actions, including the suicide bombing at Kabul's airport in 2021.
President Putin called for international cooperation to combat terrorism, emphasizing the need for unity against this common enemy. Just days before the tragic event, Putin had dismissed warnings from the United States as "blackmail." The incident underscores the ongoing challenges posed by terrorism and the importance of global collaboration in addressing this threat.