Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said today that Kiev had nothing to do with the attack by armed attackers in Moscow's Crocus City concert hall, reports Reuters.
"Let's be clear about this: Ukraine had absolutely nothing to do with these events," Podoljak said in a video message posted on Telegram.
"We have an all-out war with the Russian regular army and with the Russian Federation as a state. And regardless of everything, everything will be decided on the battlefield," said Podoljak.
The White House announced that at the moment there are no indications that Ukraine is involved in the shooting.
They added that they "do not encourage or enable" Ukraine to attack targets in Russia.
Zaharova: USA to share information, if any
The Russian Foreign Ministry said today that if the United States knows for sure that Ukraine was not involved in the mass shooting, Washington should share all the information it has with Moscow.
"The White House said it saw no signs that Ukraine or Ukrainians were involved in the terrorist attack in Moscow," said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
"On what basis do officials in Washington draw conclusions in the middle of a tragedy about someone's innocence?", said Zakharova.
She said that if Washington has information, it should be shared, and that if Washington does not have information, it should not "talk in that way."
Islamic State claimed responsibility, 40 dead
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack on a concert hall near Moscow, the group's Telegram channel announced, Reuters reports.
At least 40 people were killed and more than 100 injured when five gunmen dressed in camouflage suits opened fire with automatic weapons on people at a concert at the Crocus City Hall concert hall near Moscow, in one of the worst attacks on Russia in recent years, reports is Reuters.
The Tas agency stated that 146 people were wounded, reports Reuters
Russian ombudsman Tatjana Mosalkova called the shooting "an act of terrorism."
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The TAS agency reported earlier that there was an explosion and fire in the building where the shooting took place.
Reuters reported a little later, citing Russian news agencies, that a second explosion was heard at the Crocus City Hall near Moscow, the site of the shooting incident.
Russian authorities announced that they have increased security measures at Moscow's airports and train stations, the agencies reported.
The TAS agency reported that people are still trapped in the fire-ravaged concert venue.
That agency states that the fire engulfed a third of the concert hall building, and that the roof of the building was almost completely engulfed in flames.
Reuters reported that over 100 people were evacuated from the basement of the hall.
According to the RIA news agency, at least three masked people opened fire, while the Interfax agency said there were between two and five attackers.
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