The attack on Crocus Hall killed 143 people and injured 360 others (Reuters)
The Russian Investigative Committee confirmed - Thursday - that the perpetrators of the attack on the Crocus City Hall near Moscow had “connections to Ukrainian nationalists” and received large sums of money from Ukraine.
The Islamic State organization claimed responsibility for this attack, but Russian officials confirm a link to Ukraine, while Kiev denies any involvement in the attack, and accuses Moscow of seeking to shift the blame on it.
“Working with detained terrorists, examining confiscated technical devices and analyzing information on financial transactions made it possible to obtain evidence of their links with Ukrainian nationalists,” the Investigative Committee said.
According to the committee responsible for major criminal investigations, the four attackers received “large sums of money and cryptocurrencies from Ukraine, which were used in preparing this crime.”
Investigators also announced the arrest of a new suspect accused of participating in financing the attack.
The authorities previously announced the arrest of 11 people, including the four suspected attackers, and 8 of them were charged and detained in pretrial detention.
Ukraine denies any involvement in the attack and accuses Russia of seeking to blame it (Reuters)
According to President Vladimir Putin, the four suspected attackers were captured in Russia's Bryansk region while trying to flee into Ukraine, where a "window" was set up allowing them to cross the border on the Ukrainian side.
Director of the Russian Federal Security Service, Alexander Bortnikov, confirmed that Ukrainian and Western intelligence services facilitated the attack.
Meanwhile, the White House on Thursday described Russia's accusation that Ukraine was involved in the attack as "nonsense," saying that it was clear that ISIS was solely responsible.
John Kirby, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said during a briefing with reporters that Washington had conveyed a written warning to Russian security services about an extremist attack, which is one of many warnings provided to Moscow in advance.
According to Russian reports, gunmen with automatic weapons stormed Crocus Hall during a concert last Friday, opened fire on security personnel at the entrance to the hall, then began shooting at the audience and setting fire to the building, killing 143 people and wounding 360 others.
Source: Agencies