Putin Says “Will Identify and Punish” Everyone Behind Moscow Terror Attack

The Investigative Committee, tasked with investigating the case as a terrorism charge, has not yet presented the official version or evidence regarding who might be behind the attack. However, authorities and propaganda media are already discussing a "Ukrainian trail."

"All four direct perpetrators of the terrorist attack, those who shot and killed people, have been found and arrested. They attempted to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary information, arrangements were made for them to cross the state border from the Ukrainian side. A total of 11 people are detained," stated Vladimir Putin.

The Russian president likened the attack to the actions of the Nazis, stating, "We have encountered not only a precisely and cynically planned terrorist attack but also a prepared and organized mass killing of peaceful, defenseless people. The criminals were cold-blooded and deliberately intended to kill our citizens, our children. Just as the Nazis once organized massacres in occupied territories, they decided to stage a public execution, a bloody act of intimidation."

"All the perpetrators, organizers, and instigators of this crime will receive just and inevitable punishment, regardless of who they are and who sent them. I repeat: we will uncover and punish all those behind the terrorists, those who orchestrated this brutality, this attack on Russia, on our people," stated Putin.

He called on all Russian citizens, including "comrades on the front lines," to unite, stating, "It is our common duty to stand together. I believe that this will be the case because nothing and no one can shake our unity and resolve."

According to the Russian service of the BBC, the notion of a "Ukrainian trace" was put forward by Dmitry Medvedev, one of the first deputy heads of the Russian Security Council. He stated that if it is determined that the attackers are "terrorists of the Kiev regime," then they must be "ruthlessly eliminated as terrorists."

The Ukrainian government categorically denies any connection with the incident. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the accusations from the Russian side are a planned provocation aimed at spreading anti-Ukrainian hysteria within Russian society, creating a basis for mobilization, and discrediting Ukraine in the eyes of the international community.

Andrey Yusov, a representative of the main intelligence division of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, stated that the terrorist attack was a deliberate provocation by the Russian special services.

"This is a deliberate provocation by Putin's special services, as warned by the international community. The Kremlin tyrant began his career with such acts and seeks to end it with the same crimes against his own citizens," Yusov said.

The so-called Islamic State terrorist organization claimed responsibility for the attack. The group's propaganda outlet, Amaq, released a statement saying that four individuals carried out the attack, with three shooting at people and the fourth starting a fire in the building. According to the statement, the fighters of the "Islamic State" were planning to attack "a large crowd of Christians". Amaq also published a photo of the alleged attackers.

According to the information from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, none of the suspects arrested in the attack are Russian citizens.

According to the latest official data, 133 people died as a result of the attack on March 22. Some of them died from gunshot wounds, while others perished in the fire that erupted in the concert hall. Over 100 individuals have been hospitalized. Among the deceased and injured are children.

March 24 has been announced as a day of mourning in Russia.