Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko contradicted Russian officials, stating that the gunmen behind the deadly attack on a concert hall in Moscow initially attempted to flee to Belarus, not Ukraine as claimed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Reuters reports.
Lukashenko, a close ally of Putin, emphasized the coordination between Belarusian and Russian security services in apprehending the suspects in the Bryansk region, bordering both Ukraine and Belarus. He highlighted the swift actions taken to set up checkpoints and prevent the attackers from entering Belarus.
Russian officials blamed Kyiv for the attack without providing evidence, while US officials cited intelligence confirming the Islamic State’s claim of responsibility. Putin acknowledged that Islamist militants carried out the attack but seeks to identify those responsible for ordering it.
