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Russia claims evidence links concert hall attackers to "Ukrainian nationalist". Russian investigators said on Thursday they had uncovered evidence that gunmen who killed more than 140 people in an attack on a concert hall near Moscow last week were linked to "Ukrainian nationalists".
Russia has said from the start it was pursuing a Ukrainian link to the attack, although Kiev has denied it and the Islamic State militant group has claimed responsibility.
According to Reuters, in a statement, the state investigative committee said for the first time that it had uncovered evidence of a connection to Ukraine. While it described the nature of the alleged evidence, it did not publish it.
" As a result of working with the arrested terrorists, studying the technical equipment seized from them and analyzing information about financial transactions, evidence was obtained of their connection with Ukrainian nationalists ," the statement said.
The Russians claim that the attackers had taken significant amounts of cash and cryptocurrency from Ukraine and that another suspect involved in financing terrorism had been arrested.
Eleven people were arrested in the first 24 hours after last Friday's attack and eight of them, including the four suspected gunmen, have been taken into custody. Seven are from Tajikistan and the other from Kyrgyzstan.
The United States had publicly warned before the shooting at the concert that it had received information about a possible attack by extremists in Russia. US officials say they believe the Islamic State Khorasan, the network's Afghan branch, is responsible.
Russia says it is suspicious that the US was able to name the alleged perpetrator of the attack so soon after it happened. The head of Russia's FSB security service said earlier this week, again without providing evidence, that he believed Ukraine, along with the US and Great Britain, were involved.
Western security analysts have said the attack raised questions about the resources and priorities of Russian intelligence agencies that have focused heavily on the Ukraine war and the need to stamp out opposition to it inside Russia.
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