Moscow concert attack: Vladimir Putin says accused tried to flee to Ukraine, Kyiv denies claim

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday accused Ukraine of involvement in the deadly Moscow concert attack that killed over 100, claiming that the terrorists who opened fire tried to escape towards Kyiv. Putin also said that some people on the Ukrainian side had prepared to let them cross the border from Russia.

Ukraine, however, denied the allegations levelled by the Russian premier.

“They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them from the Ukrainian side to cross the state border,” news agency Reuters quoted Putin as saying.

In his televised address to the nation, Putin said, “I am speaking to you today in connection with the bloody, barbaric terrorist attack, the victims of which were dozens of innocent, peaceful people… I declare March 24 a day of national mourning”.

“All the perpetrators, organisers and those who ordered this crime will be justly and inevitably punished. Whoever they are, whoever is guiding them,” Putin said, adding “We will identify and punish everyone who stands behind the terrorists, who prepared this atrocity, this strike against Russia, against our people”.

Soon after Putin’s address, Ukrine said that it was not involved in Friday’s shooting attack near Moscow.

“Ukraine was not involved in Friday’s shooting attack near Moscow and suggestions of a Ukrainian link have nothing in common with reality,” Reuters quoted a spokesman for Kyiv’s military spy agency as saying.

At least 115 people were killed and several injured after a group of assailants opened fire in a suburban Moscow concert hall on Friday night. It is said to be the deadliest attack in Russia in 20 years.

The Islamic State group’s Afghanistan branch claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack in a statement posted on affiliated channels on social media.