The Russian news agency TASS reported today that the Russian Investigative Committee stated that the shooting incident that took place last month at a concert hall may be connected to the "special military operation" being conducted by the country in Ukraine. The committee clarified that they found images of fighters with the Ukrainian flag on the mobile phone of one of the suspects, as well as images of a Ukrainian postage stamp, considering this as potential evidence of a link.
Previously, the Russian Federal Security Service announced on Thursday evening the arrest of three new suspects from Central Asia accused of involvement in the deadly attack that occurred two weeks ago at a concert hall near Moscow. A statement from the agency reported by Russian news agencies noted that "a Russian citizen and two foreign nationals, all from Central Asia, were arrested in Moscow, Yekaterinburg (central Russia), and Omsk (Siberia), involved in the terrorist act perpetrated on March 22, 2024, at Crocus City Hall."
The statement added that two of these suspects "transferred funds to purchase firearms and vehicles used in the terrorist act," while the third "financed" the attackers. The security agency also released a video showing their arrest.
On March 22, gunmen opened fire at the Crocus City Hall concert venue on the outskirts of the Russian capital before setting fire to it. The attack resulted in the death of 144 people, making it the deadliest incident in Russia in the past twenty years. Over ten people have been detained following the assault, including the four main suspects who are from Tajikistan, a former Soviet republic in Central Asia. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, but Russian authorities assert that Ukraine had a role, which Kyiv has firmly denied.
