Moscow Attack: Putin Blames 'Radical Islamists' Behind Concert Massacre, Hints At Ukraine’s Role

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday said the ghastly terror attack in Moscow last week was carried out by Islamic militants. Putin said it was to the benefit of Ukraine and Kyiv may have orchestrated the attack, news agency Reuters reported.

Putin’s remark came after France joined the US in saying that the intelligence suggested Islamic State was responsible for the attack.

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In the deadliest attack in two decades, four men entered the Crocus City Hall and showered bullets during a concert. The death toll has risen to 139 and 182 persons have been reported injured, Alexander Bastrykin, head of Russia's Investigative Committee said.

Four persons were remanded in custody and will face the charges of terrorism. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack and released a video of what it called the footage from the massacre.

"We know that the crime was carried out by the hand of radical Islamists with an ideology that the Muslim world has fought for centuries," Putin said in remarks posted on the Telegram messaging app.

Putin asserted the motive behind the attack was to sow panic and it was linked with the series of attacks on them at the hands of the neo-Nazi Kyiv regime.

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“The question that arises is who benefits from this? This atrocity may be just a link in a whole series of attempts by those who have been at war with our country since 2014 at the hands of the neo-Nazi Kyiv regime. We know by whose hand the crime against Russia and its people was committed. But what is of interest to us is who ordered it,” Putin said.

Ukraine, however, refuted all the allegations and denied any role in Friday's shooting.