Four suspects believed to be responsible for the attack on the Crocus City complex near Moscow have been apprehended while attempting to cross the border into Ukraine, as confirmed by the Russian Investigative Committee. The suspects were detained by special services and law enforcement agencies in the Bryansk region, near the Ukrainian border.
According to reports from state media RIA Novosti, the weapons used in the attack were allegedly prepped in advance and stored in a cache, as disclosed by the FSB (Security Service). The FSB further stated that following the terrorist incident, the perpetrators had plans to cross the Russian-Ukrainian border and had established contacts on the Ukrainian side.
State-owned Russian news agency also highlighted that the attackers had connections on the Ukrainian side and emphasized that the assault at Crocus City Hall was meticulously orchestrated. However, the exact nature of these alleged contacts was not specified by either agency.
In response to these claims, Ukraine vehemently denied any involvement in the attack. Mykhailo Podolyak, an official from Ukraine, categorically stated that Ukraine has never resorted to terrorist tactics as it is deemed futile.
Prior to the suspects' arrest, unofficial sources circulated images of a white Renault car resembling the one captured on video outside the concert hall. The vehicle was intercepted on a highway south of Bryansk in the early hours of Saturday, displaying significant damage.