Ukrainian President Zelensky spoke out about the terrorist attack in Russia

FOA News – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticized his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin after a terrorist attack that left at least 143 people dead in Moscow.

“What happened yesterday in Moscow is clearly how Putin and some people are trying to blame others. They always have the same formula. This has happened before. There have been incidents bombing of houses, shootings and explosions. And they always blame someone else,” President Zelensky said in a speech on the evening of March 23, after President Putin announced that all four The suspect directly involved in the terrorist attack in Moscow was arrested while trying to flee to Ukraine.

“Mr. Putin, instead of dealing with Russian citizens himself, remained silent all day, and thought of ways to redirect the story to Ukraine. These things were completely predictable,” Mr. Zelensky added.

Previously, on the evening of March 22, a group of armed people broke into the theater hall in Crocus City in the Moscow region. And started attacking people in the auditorium right before the music show took place.

According to Sputnik, the death toll from the attack has increased to at least 143 people and 107 other victims are being treated in the hospital. Russian authorities warned that the number of casualties could increase in the coming hours.

The self-proclaimed Islamic State ‘IS’ claimed responsibility, calling the terrorist attack in Russia “the most brutal attack in recent years” and posting photos of the terrorists.

IS did not provide evidence for its claims. However, US intelligence officials told media outlets that there was “no reason to doubt” IS’s claim.

Russia has arrested a total of 11 suspects. An arrested suspect confessed that he planned to commit murder for money. The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs said that all of the suspects who directly carried out the terrorist attack were foreigners, but did not specify which country they were from.

President Putin announced that all four suspects directly involved in the attack were arrested while trying to flee to Ukraine. Meanwhile, the Russian security service ‘FSB’ said that the terrorist suspects who attacked the Crocus City theater planned to flee to Ukraine.

The FSB confirmed that four suspects were arrested in the Bryansk region near the Russia-Ukraine border and transferred to Moscow. According to Russia, the suspects of the attack appear to be connected to subjects on Ukrainian territory.

However, spokesman for the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Agency Andrii Yusov rejected the information provided by Russia, declaring this completely untrue. He affirmed that Ukraine was “not involved” in the attack in Russia.

According to Mr. Yusov, the border area between the two countries is strewn with mines and Russia conducts reconnaissance activities along the area, including from the air. In addition, areas such as Belgorod and Kursk in Russia are recording attacks by pro-Ukrainian armed groups, so the security alert level is always high. Therefore, Mr. Yusov believes that the suspects will not be able to choose to flee to Ukraine.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the US “strongly condemns” the terrorist attack in Russia. She added that IS, the group that claimed responsibility for the attack, is “a common terrorist enemy that must be defeated everywhere”.

Source: RT