Russia-Ukraine war live: Moscow spy chief makes bizarre claim US, UK and Ukraine were behind Moscow attack

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The head of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has made the bizarre claim that the US, UK and Ukraine were involved in the terror attack on a Moscow concert hall that killed 139 people – as the Kremlin keeps pushing a false narrative trying to link its invasion of Ukraine to the shooting.

Alexander Bortnikov, the director of the FSB offered no evidence for his claim, with the US, France and number of other nations all saying that a branch of Isis were responsible for the attack. Isis-K itself has claimed the attack and released a graphic video of it.

“The USA, Britain and Ukraine are behind the terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall,” Mr Bortnikov, a staunch ally of Vladimir Putin, was quoted as saying by TASS, the Russian state-owned news agency. “We believe the action was prepared both by the radical Islamists themselves and, of course, facilitated by Western special services”.

Elsewhere, Ukraine has struck a navy vessel stolen by Russia during the occupation of Crimea, Kyiv has said. Dmytro Pletenchuk, Ukraine navy spokesman, said his country’s forces hit the Olshansky landing ship with a missile.

Key Points

Show latest update 1711466055

Ukraine replaces security council secretary as reshuffle of high-ranking officials continues

Ukraine‘s security council secretary Oleksiy Danilov was dismissed and replaced by foreign intelligence service chief Oleksandr Lytvynenko under decrees published on the presidential website on Tuesday.

No reason was given for the change. Danilov had held the post since October 2019, a few months after president Volodymyr Zelensky took office.

Ukraine‘s National Security and Defence Council has a coordinating role on issues of national security and defence under the president. It comprises the country’s top political, security and defence chiefs.

Zelensky has regularly replaced high-ranking security and defence officials since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. The dismissal of Ukraine‘s top general in February presaged a wider clear-out of the military’s top brass.

Joe Middleton26 March 2024 15:14

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Watch: Workers clear debris at Moscow concert hall as investigation continues

Workers clear debris at Moscow concert hall as investigation continues

Joe Middleton26 March 2024 15:01

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Russian spy chief in outlandish claim over Moscow attack

The head of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has made the bizarre claim that the US, UK and Ukraine were involved in the terror attack on a Moscow concert hall that killed 139 people – as the Kremlin keeps pushing a false narrative trying to link its invasion of Ukraine to the shooting.

“The USA, Britain and Ukraine are behind the terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall,” Alexander Bortnikov, the director of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) and staunch ally of Vladimir Putin, was quoted as saying by TASS, the Russian state-owned news agency.

“We believe the action was prepared both by the radical Islamists themselves and, of course, facilitated by Western special services, and Ukraine’s special services themselves have a direct connection to this.”

Mr Bortnikov offered no evidence for his claims, which has called “lies” by officials in Kyiv.

A branch of Isis has claimed the attack in Moscow. And the US, France and a number of other nations say their intelligence services believe Isis were behind the killings.

Joe Middleton26 March 2024 14:26

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Eighth suspect in Moscow attack appears in court

Russia remanded in custody on Tuesday a Kyrgyzstan-born man suspected of involvement in Friday’s mass shooting at a Moscow concert hall, and sent investigators to Tajikistan to question the families of four men charged with carrying out the attack.

Eight suspects have now been remanded in pre-trial detention since gunmen sprayed concertgoers with bullets in the deadliest attack in Russia in two decades, days after president Vladimir Putin celebrated an election that handed him a fifth term.

Isis has claimed responsibility and released footage from the attack. The United States and France say intelligence suggests the group was indeed behind the attack, in which 139 people were killed and 182 wounded.

Matt Mathers26 March 2024 13:43

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Ukraine ramps up spending on homemade weapons to help repel Russia

Ukraine needs any edge it can get to repel Russia from its territory. One emerging bright spot is its small but fast-growing defense industry, which the government is flooding with money in hopes that a surge of homemade weapons and ammunition can help turn the tide.

The effort ramped up sharply over the past year as the U.S. and Europe strained to deliver weapons and other aid to Ukraine, which is up against a much bigger Russian military backed by a thriving domestic defense industry.

Matt Mathers26 March 2024 13:20

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Moscow attack: Everything we know so far about concert hall terror suspects

The suspects, identified by Russian authorities as being from Tajikistan, a Central Asian nation bordering Afghanistan, were allegedly picked up in the Bryansk region about 210 miles southwest of Moscow hours after the attack. Without providing any evidence, Russian president Vladimir Putin claimed they were heading for Ukraine.

Matt Mathers26 March 2024 13:00

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ICYMI: Russia extends arrest of US reporter Evan Gershkovich. He has already spent nearly a year in jail

The 32-year-old U.S. citizen was arrested in late March 2023 while on a reporting trip and has spent nearly a year behind bars. His arrest was extended until June 30.

Matt Mathers26 March 2024 12:34

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Russia’s Shoigu calls idea of new mobilisation ‘nonsense’ – RIA

Russian defence ministry Sergei Shoigu, asked on Tuesday whether an additional wave of mobilisation would be required in order to secure a buffer zone protecting Russian territory from Ukrainian attack, called the idea „nonsense”, the state news agency RIA reported.

Russian president Vladimir Putin said this month that Moscow may need to occupy a buffer zone in order to protect the Belgorod region, which has in recent months come under heavy attack from Kyiv’s forces across the border in Ukraine.

File photo: Sergei Shoigu

(POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Matt Mathers26 March 2024 12:05

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Ukraine electricity imports soar after Russian attacks

Ukraine’s daily electricity imports will reach their highest this year on Tuesday after a string of Russian missile strikes on critical infrastructure caused blackouts in many regions, the energy ministry said.

The sweeping attacks, the biggest of which came on Friday, have caused major damage to generating and transmission facilities, forcing Kyiv to halt power exports and rely on imports.

Power imports are expected to reach 18,649 megawatt hours (MWh) on Tuesday, up from 14,900 MWh on Sunday, the ministry said in a statement.

By contrast, Ukraine had exported 3,300 MWh the day before the first wave of Russian attacks on March 22.

Ukraine has been connected to the European Union’s united grid since the first weeks of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. The imports come from Romania, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Moldova, the Ukrenergo grid operator told Reuters.

Matt Mathers26 March 2024 11:50

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France might requisition arms producers to speed up production to help Ukraine

French defence minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Tuesday he was prepared to use his powers to requisition industrial capacities or impose priorities to weapon makers to speed up production of armss and shells needed on the battlefield in Ukraine and elsewhere.

„These questions … are clearly on the table”, Lecornu told a news conference.

He added that stocks and production lines were particularly strained with regard to anti-air missiles and artillery shells.

(Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Matt Mathers26 March 2024 11:29