Russia says evidence links concert hall attackers to "Ukrainian nationalists"

MOSCOW, March 28 (Reuters) - Russian investigators said on Thursday they  
had uncovered evidence that the gunmen who killed more than 140 people in  
an attack on a concert hall near Moscow last week were linked to  
"Ukrainian nationalists".

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-says-evidence-links-concert-hall-attackers-ukrainian-nationalists-2024-03-28/

Russia has said from the outset that it is pursuing a Ukrainian link to  
the attack, even though Kyiv has denied it and the militant group Islamic  
State has claimed responsibility.

In a statement, the state Investigative Committee said for the first time  
that it had uncovered evidence of a Ukrainian link. While it described the  
nature of the alleged evidence, it did not publish it.

"As a result of working with detained terrorists, studying the technical  
devices seized from them, and analysing information about financial  
transactions, evidence was obtained of their connection with Ukrainian  
nationalists," the statement said.

It said the attackers had received significant amounts of cash and  
cryptocurrency from Ukraine, and that another suspect involved in  
terrorist financing had been detained.

Eleven people were arrested in the first 24 hours after last Friday's  
attack and eight of these, including the four suspected gunmen, have been  
placed in pre-trial detention. Seven are from the Central Asian state of  
Tajikistan and the other from Kyrgyzstan.

The United States had publicly warned before the concert shooting that it  
had received intelligence of a possible attack by extremists in Russia.  
U.S. officials say they believe it was Islamic State Khorasan, the  
network's Afghan branch, that was responsible.

Russia says it is suspicious that the U.S. was able to name the alleged  
perpetrator of the attack so soon after it took place. The head of  
Russia's FSB security service said earlier this week, again without  
providing evidence, that he believed Ukraine, along with the U.S. and  
Britain, were involved.

### - that's a pretty hefty accusation huh...

and because wars have started over far less?