Putin Says Ukraine Linked To Moscow Concert Attack, Vows To Punish Terrorists

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine behind the Crocus City Hall terror attack on Friday night that killed at least 133 people. Addressing the public, Putin called the attack a barbaric act of terrorism and vowed to punish the perpetrators, reported NBC News.

Russian security forces claimed that they had apprehended all four direct participants in the attack, who were caught heading for Ukraine. The forces also stated that Ukraine was preparing to receive them over the border. 11 people had been detained so far, including the four gunmen. "They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them on the Ukrainian side to cross the state border," Putin was quoted by Reuters.

Putin further added that March 24, would be observed as a National Day of Mourning. "I express my deep, sincere condolences to everyone who lost their loved ones," he said. "The whole country, our entire nation, mourns with you.

However, Kyiv has rubbished the claims. Presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said attempts to connect the two were "absolutely untenable". He said, "Ukraine has not the slightest connection to this incident. Ukraine has a full-scale war with Russia and will solve the problem of Russia's aggression on the battlefield".

On the other hand, the Islamic State militant organization's news agency Amaq posted a picture of the four attackers who claimed were responsible for the shooting spree in Moscow.

Amaq, a news agency linked with the terror group, cited security sources to state that the attack resulted in "at least 300 Christians killed or wounded" and occurred within the "normal context of the raging war between the Islamic State and countries fighting Islam".

The release also said that the attack was carried out by four Islamic State "fighters" who were "armed with machine guns, a pistol, knives and incendiary bombs" and was preceded by "an intensive monitoring operation".

The death toll from the shooting and fire attack on a Moscow concert hall has risen to 133 from an earlier figure of 115 dead, Russian investigators said.

"While clearing the debris in the Crocus City Hall concert hall, the number killed as a result of the terrorist attack rose to 133 people. Search operations are continuing," the investigative committee said in a statement on Friday's attack.

Russia has increased security in its capital city at transportation hubs and airports. Significant public events are also canceled nationwide.

The concert hall attack officially ranks among the worst acts of terrorism in contemporary Russian history, with more fatalities than the 2002 hostage crisis at Moscow's theater in Dubrovka, which claimed 130 lives. The 2004 school siege in Beslan claimed the lives of over 330 people.