MOSCOW, January 14. /TASS/. Russia’s Investigative Committee has thoroughly examined all stages of the preparation for the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall, which was carried out by Ukrainian secret services, according to Alexander Bastrykin, chairman of the Investigative Committee, in an interview with TASS.
"This crime was orchestrated by Ukrainian intelligence agencies with the aim of destabilizing government institutions and undermining the internal political stability of Russia. Our investigation has uncovered every phase of the planning, preparation, and execution of this attack," Bastrykin stated.
The Committee, along with other relevant authorities, is actively collaborating with international partners to locate the organizers of the attack.
"A range of measures is underway to determine their whereabouts. Law enforcement agencies in Tajikistan and other countries are working closely with us to trace the organizers," he added.
The terrorist assault occurred at the Crocus shopping and entertainment center in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, on March 22, 2024. The Investigative Committee reports that 149 individuals lost their lives in the tragedy. The assailants were armed with three Kalashnikov rifles, over 1,300 rounds of ammunition contained in at least 59 magazines, and knives.
Following the attack, four perpetrators - Mukhammadsobir Fayzov, Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, Saidakram Rachabalizoda, and Shamsidin Fariduni - fled but were subsequently detained in the Bryansk Region. Additionally, fifteen accomplices have been arrested. Investigators confirm that all involved are members of the Islamic State’s Khorasan Wilayah branch, both of which are designated terrorist organizations banned in Russia.
Since last summer, the criminal case has been under review by the Second Western District Military Court.