Russian Investigators Uncover Evidence Linking Gunmen in Moscow Attack to Ukrainian Nationalists

The Russian state Investigative Committee announced on Thursday that they have found evidence linking the gunmen who carried out the concert hall attack near Moscow to "Ukrainian nationalists".

The investigators stated that they had obtained evidence of the Ukrainian connection through their work with detained terrorists, examination of seized technical devices, and analysis of financial transactions. Although the nature of the evidence was not disclosed, it was revealed that the attackers had received substantial amounts of cash and cryptocurrency from Ukraine. Additionally, another individual involved in terrorist financing has been apprehended.

Arrests and Detentions

In the aftermath of the attack, eleven individuals were arrested within the first 24 hours. As of now, eight of them, including the four suspected gunmen, have been placed in pre-trial detention. Among these detainees, seven are from Tajikistan and one is from Kyrgyzstan.

International Response and Suspicions

Prior to the concert shooting, the United States had issued a public warning about the possibility of an extremist attack in Russia. U.S. officials have attributed the responsibility to Islamic State Khorasan, the network's Afghan branch.

Russia has expressed skepticism regarding the swift identification of the alleged perpetrators by the U.S. Furthermore, the head of Russia's FSB security service has voiced suspicions of the involvement of Ukraine, the U.S., and Britain in the attack, although no evidence has been provided to support these claims.

Implications on Russian Intelligence

The attack has prompted Western security analysts to raise concerns about the allocation of resources and priorities within Russian intelligence agencies, which have been predominantly focused on the conflict in Ukraine and suppressing opposition within Russia.

These developments have added a new layer of complexity to the ongoing investigations and the geopolitical dynamics in the region.