Vladimir Putin, the President
of Russia, has said that Ukraine had a hand in the terrorist attack that took
place at Crocus City Hall in Moscow, the country’s capital.
As many as 133 people have now
been confirmed dead from the shooting incident. The death toll was earlier put
at 113.
The Islamic State (ISIS)
claimed responsibility for the attack which is Russia’s deadliest in decades
but did not provide evidence.
But Putin, in a speech on
Russian television on Saturday, said the gunmen were helped by someone in
Ukraine.
“They tried to hide and moved
toward Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for
them on the Ukrainian side to cross the border,” Putin said.
“Our military services, our
emergency services … our investigators are working on finding out … who gave
them transportation, … who gave them weapons.
“We will stand united against
this common enemy, international terrorism no matter where it shows its ugly
head.”
The Russian leader did not
provide evidence for his reference to Ukraine but vowed that “all the
perpetrators, organisers and those who ordered this crime will be justly and
inevitably punished — whoever they are, whoever is guiding them”.
In his address, Putin said 11
people had been detained, including the four gunmen.
Russia’s Federal Security
Service said the gunmen had contacts in Ukraine and were captured near the
border.
The agency did not provide
proof of this. It said the suspects were being transferred to Moscow.
Andrei Kartapolov, a Russian
lawmaker, said the country must deliver a “worthy, clear and concrete” reply on
the battlefield if Ukraine is involved.
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