Moscow attack: Russia blames West and Kyiv for jihadist massacre

Top Russian officials have directly accused Ukraine and the West of being involved in the deadly Moscow concert hall attack, after it was claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group.

IS has released video of the atrocity, but Vladimir Putin and two close allies have claimed the jihadists were helped by Western and Ukrainian intelligence.

Ukraine has rejected Russia’s “lies”.

The scenario is all the more unlikely because the US had warned Russia of an imminent attack 15 days earlier.

Four citizens of Tajikistan have appeared in court accused of carrying out the massacre. Four other suspects have been accused of aiding terrorism.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said the facts about the perpetrators and “the failed incompetence of the Russian security services are indisputable”. Western countries have also ridiculed the Kremlin’s narrative.

Read more: BBC News