The Moscow concert hall attack, which resulted in the tragic deaths of over 143 people, has taken a new turn with revelations regarding the assailants’ movements prior to the deadly incident. According to a report by Reuters citing a Turkish security official, the gunmen accused of the attack briefly traveled to Turkey in the same week as the attack to renew their Russian residence permits. However, the report clarified that the radicalization of these Tajikistan men did not occur during their time in Turkey.
The unnamed official disclosed that there were no existing arrest warrants against the attackers, enabling them to freely travel between Turkey and Russia. Additionally, it was disclosed that the assailants had been residing in Moscow for an extended period prior to the attack.
The disclosure further revealed that two of the assailants returned to Moscow from Turkey on the same flight on March 2, 2024. Subsequently, the attack, which was later claimed by the Islamic State, resulted in the loss of over 143 lives and left numerous others injured.
Despite the claim made by the Islamic State, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been hesitant to attribute the Moscow attack to the extremist group. An AFP report states that Putin is instead linking the attack to Ukraine, questioning why the attackers attempted to flee to Ukraine following the incident, a claim that Kyiv has vehemently rejected.
In recent remarks regarding the attack, Putin acknowledged the involvement of “radical Islamists” but continued to draw a connection to Ukraine. He emphasized the need to investigate who may have been waiting for the attackers in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukraine has firmly denied any involvement, with President Volodymyr Zelensky accusing Putin of consistently attempting to shift blame onto others.
