All the four perpetrators who were directly involved in the Moscow concert hall attack have been found and apprehended, Russian President Vladimir Putin told the nation in a televised speech on Saturday. “They tried to escape, they were trying to escape towards the border with Ukraine and we have data to suggest that they were about to be moved towards the territory of Ukraine by those in Ukraine”. Ukraine has denied any role in Russia’s deadliest terrorist strike in many, many years. The White House too has ruled out an Ukranie hand. The terrorist group, Islamic State, has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack.
Investigators are working to find out the orchestrators of the bloody, barbaric terrorist attack, who gave them transport, who gave them weapons, said Putin. Russia has detained 11 people for the attack. The toll has gone past 100 and could rise further. “The authorities will do everything to find out all details of the crime. We will identify everyone who’s behind this and they will pay; there’s one future for terrorists—retribution and oblivion,” he added.
Offering condolences to those who lost their loved ones, Putin declared March 24 as a day of mourning. Anti-terror measures have been introduced in the Moscow region. What’s critical is that those who are behind this bloodbath are not allowed to do it again, he said.
The Moscow attack has drawn sharp condemnation from many world leaders, including India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India stands in solidarity with the government and the people of the Russian Federation, said Modi.
This is a strike against Russia; we know terrorist threat means, said Putin, asking the people of Russia to stand united. “Russia has faced a lot of challenges in its history and each time it has come out stronger. It will be the same this time as well.”
