According to the U.S., Ukraine was not involved in the attack on a Russian concert hall that resulted in the deaths of at least 133 people.
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On Saturday, Russian authorities announced that 11 individuals, including four suspected shooters, have been arrested for their role in a fatal assault on a 2.crowded concert hall
On Friday, a tragic accident occurred near Moscow resulting in at least 133 fatalities.
According to Russian officials, the assault resulted in additional injuries to hundreds of individuals.
According to Russia’s Investigative Committee, four individuals were detained in western Russia’s Bryansk region near the border with Ukraine. State news agency Tass reported that the suspects reportedly intended to enter Ukraine and were in communication with contacts there. The head of Russia’s FSB informed President Vladimir Putin of the arrests on Saturday, as per Tass.
In the past, it was recommended that Americans avoid attending concerts due to the risk of a terrorist attack. A U.S. government representative verified that the U.S. shared information with Russia regarding a possible attack as mandated by the Duty to Warn policy of the intelligence community.
**= Due to the close proximity, the attack occurred shortly after Putin’s recent meeting
Strengthened his hold on authority. in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide amid the country’s war with Ukraine.
Sergei Vedyashkin / AP
During a speech to the country, Putin described the incident as a violent and savage act of terrorism. He reaffirmed that all four individuals responsible for the attack were arrested and in custody. He also implied that their intentions were to enter Ukraine, as it allegedly provided a means of escape for them.
The foreign ministry of Ukraine refuted any allegations of involvement and pointed the finger at Moscow for manipulating the attack in an attempt to garner support for their war efforts.
The ministry issued a statement stating that they believe the accusations are a deliberate scheme by the Kremlin to escalate anti-Ukrainian sentiment in Russian society. The end goal is to encourage more Russian citizens to join in the criminal aggression against Ukraine and tarnish its reputation in the global community.
On Saturday, the spokesperson for the National Security Council, Adrienne Watson, stated to CBS News that there was no evidence of Ukrainian involvement in the attack.
Watson reported that the U.S. government informed Russia of a potential terrorist attack in Moscow in early March. They also released a public notice to American citizens in Russia on March 7. The attack was solely carried out by ISIS and there was no involvement from Ukraine.
Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy strongly denied Moscow’s claims, stating that it was a ploy by Putin and his associates to deflect responsibility onto Ukraine while disregarding the well-being of their own citizens.
“They are burning our cities — and they are trying to blame Ukraine,” he said in a statement on his messaging app channel. “They torture and rape our people — and they blame them. They drove hundreds of thousands of their terrorists here to fight us on our Ukrainian soil, and they don’t care what happens inside their own country.”
Russian state media released images that displayed emergency vehicles still present at the site of the concert hall’s destruction. The venue had a capacity of over 6,000 people and was known for hosting various major events, such as the 2013 Miss Universe beauty pageant with Donald Trump.
Vlad Karkov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
In a statement, Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed strong condemnation for the deadly attack.
“Our thoughts and sympathies go out to the families and loved ones of the victims, as well as all those impacted by this abhorrent act,” expressed Blinken. “We denounce all acts of terrorism and stand united with the Russian community as they mourn the tragic loss of life caused by this terrible incident.”
According to a law enforcement official from the United States, CBS News was informed that the attack in Moscow does not pose a threat to the country.
Saturday morning in Moscow saw hundreds of individuals queuing up to give blood and plasma, according to Russia’s health ministry.
This is the most deadly terror attack in Russia in years. The country was shaken by a series of deadly terror attacks in the early 2000s during the fighting with separatists in the Russian province of Chechnya.
In October 2002, Chechen militants took about 800 people hostage at a Moscow theater. Two days later, Russian special forces stormed the building, and 129 hostages and 41 Chechen fighters died, most of them from the effects of narcotic gas Russian forces used to subdue the attackers.
In September of 2004, a group of approximately 30 Chechen fighters took control of a school in Beslan, located in southern Russia. They held hundreds of people hostage, resulting in a violent and tragic siege. After two days, the siege ended in a massacre, claiming the lives of over 330 individuals, including approximately 50% children.
According to this report, the contributions of Debora Patta, David Martin, Andy Triay, and Olivia Gazis from CBS News were included.
Source: cbsnews.com