The attack left 143 people dead, according to the latest announcement by the Russian authorities (Reuters)

Washington denied that Ukraine was involved in the armed attack that left dozens dead in a concert hall in a suburb of Moscow the day before Friday, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, is trying to hold his country responsible for the attack and “will use the situation to his advantage.”

US National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said that ISIS, which claimed responsibility for the attack, alone bears responsibility.

Watson stated - in a statement - that the US government shared information with Russia early this month about a planned attack in Moscow, and also issued general advice to Americans in Russia on March 7.

She added, "ISIS alone bears responsibility for this attack, and there is no Ukrainian involvement at all."

Taking advantage of the situation

In turn, Zelensky said that Putin is trying to hold Ukraine responsible for the "terrorist" attack in Moscow.

Zelensky stressed - in a speech addressed to the Ukrainian people via social media platforms - that the president and Russian officials are trying to hold his country responsible for the attack, a step similar to previous attempts, saying that “(the Russians) always use the same methods,” he said.

Zelensky also accused the Russian army of carrying out "terrorist acts" against Ukraine, saying, "They have pushed hundreds of thousands of terrorists into Ukrainian territory, and they are fighting against us and do not care about what is happening in their country."

The Ukrainian president considered that his Russian counterpart wanted to blame the attack on Ukraine instead of paying attention to Russian citizens and addressing them, adding that Putin "will use the situation to his advantage as long as the Russian people do not hold them responsible for the dead Russian soldiers in Ukraine."

Putin had previously vowed to hold all those responsible for the deadly attack accountable, describing it as a "barbaric act of terrorism."

Putin said - in a televised speech - that the four gunmen who carried out the attack on the Crocus lounge in the Krasnogorsk suburb, northwest of the capital, were arrested before they could cross the border into Ukraine.

He continued, "They were heading towards Ukraine, where they had a way to cross the border, according to preliminary information."

Putin added, "We will identify everyone who stood behind the terrorists and everyone who prepared the attack," and continued, "They will face an unenviable fate."

Yesterday, Saturday, the Russian Investigative Committee said - citing preliminary data - that at least 143 people were killed in the attack, and noted that the death toll is likely to rise, and about 152 people were injured.

She indicated that the suspects were arrested in the Russian province of Bryansk, near the Ukrainian border, and 11 people were arrested, including 4 suspected of being the perpetrators.

The Federal Security Service said that those suspected of carrying out the attack planned to cross the border and were in contact with people on the Ukrainian side.

Kyiv denies

In turn, Ukraine denied responsibility for the attack, and a unit of pro-Kiev fighters who had recently carried out armed incursions into Russian territory denied any responsibility.

Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podoliak said in a post on the X platform, “The narratives presented by the Russian special services regarding Ukraine are unacceptable and ridiculous.”

Ukrainian military intelligence went so far as to accuse the Kremlin and its special services of orchestrating the attack to blame Ukraine and justify the “escalation” of the war.

White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby also denied any "indications of Ukrainian involvement" in the attack.

Kirby said in statements he made the day before yesterday, Friday, that it was too early to make any assessment, but "there is currently no indication of the involvement of Ukraine or the Ukrainians in this attack, as the news is still very new."

ISIS video

On the other hand, social media accounts usually used by ISIS - according to Agence France-Presse - published a video apparently filmed by the perpetrators of the attack, according to the SITE website, which specializes in monitoring the websites of armed organizations.

The video - one minute and 31 seconds long - shows a number of individuals, whose faces appeared blurred and whose voices appeared distorted, holding assault rifles and knives inside what appeared to be the lobby of the Crocus City Hall concert hall in Krasnogorsk, northwest of Moscow.

While the gunmen were firing bursts of gunfire, a number of bodies were seen on the ground, and a fire could be seen breaking out in the background.

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies