At least three men suspected of carrying out the bloodiest terror attack on Russian soil since the 2004 Beslan school siege have been brought to the Russian investigation committee’s headquarters in Moscow.
Pictures aired by Russian state media show the suspects, who appear to be blinded and handcuffed, being pushed and escorted inside by men in camouflage uniforms for interrogation.
The release of the images came after footage shared by Russian-aligned Telegram channels appeared to show the violent arrest of one of the suspects in a wooded area of Bryansk after apparently fleeing from an escape vehicle on the roadside.
Russian authorities on Sunday increased the death toll from Friday’s massacre at the Crocus City Hall concert venue to 137.
Three children were said to be among the dead.
Russia today observed a day of national mourning for victims of the attack, with flags lowered to half-mast and TV schedules updated to remove advertising and entertainment broadcasting.
The US, meanwhile, has stated that Ukraine had “no involvement whatsoever” with the terror attack and emphasised that “ISIS bears sole responsibility”.
Russia has vowed to stand against “international terrorism”, but has yet to blame the Islamic State and has claimed that the gunmen had links to Ukraine, where it alleges the assailants were attempting to flee to and where “a window had been prepared for them to cross the border”.
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Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
