Moscow concert hall massacre suspects say Ukraine ordered attack – Russian media

Gunmen stormed the music venue in March 2024, killing nearly 150 people

Suspects in last year’s deadly terrorist attack on a concert hall near Moscow have told investigators that the massacre was ordered by Ukraine, Russian media reported on Sunday, citing interrogation transcripts.

On March 22, 2024, four gunmen opened fire inside the Crocus City Hall music venue and set the building ablaze, killing 149 people and injuring more than 600. All four assailants were captured hours later while attempting to flee by car toward Ukraine, according to investigators.

Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), a regional branch of the Islamic State jihadist group, claimed responsibility for the massacre. The alleged attackers – Dalerdhzon Mirzoyev, Saidokrami Rachabalizoda, Shamsiddin Fariduni, and Muhammadsobir Faizov – are all citizens of Tajikistan.

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According to the case files cited by the media, the suspects told investigators that “a Ukrainian state entity” had ordered the attack, while ISIS-K served as the direct organizer. They reportedly said the weapons used in the massacre had come from Ukrainian territory.

RIA Novosti reported that Rachabalizoda told investigators the handler known to the group as ‘Saifullo’ instructed them to escape to Kiev, where each was promised around $13,000. The suspects also allegedly said their handlers were based in Türkiye and Afghanistan.

According to TASS, one of the suspects claimed the handlers intended the operation to appear as if it had been carried out solely on behalf of ISIS-K.

Ukraine has denied any involvement in the Crocus City Hall attack. However, Kiev has previously acknowledged carrying out targeted assassinations, sabotaging infrastructure, and blowing up rail tracks on Russian territory. One such act of sabotage in late May caused a passenger train derailment that killed five people and injured more than 100.