Trial begins for suspects in Moscow concert hall attack that killed 149 people
President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials have claimed, without presenting evidence, that Ukraine had a role in the attack.
Kyiv has strongly denied any involvement.
Suspects accused of involvement in a terror attack in the Crocus City Hall (Pavel Bednyakov/AP)
The Investigative Committee, Russia's top criminal investigation agency, said in June that it concluded that the attack had been 'planned and carried out in the interests of the current leadership of Ukraine in order to destabilise political situation in our country'.
It also noted the four suspected gunmen tried to flee to Ukraine afterwards.
The four, all identified as citizens of Tajikistan, were arrested hours after the attack and later appeared in a Moscow court with signs of being severely beaten.
The committee said earlier this year that six other suspects were charged in absentia and placed on Russia's wanted list for allegedly recruiting and organising the training of the four.
Other defendants in the trial were accused of helping them.
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Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Zelenskiy says he had 'productive' call with Trump ahead of ceasefire deadline
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Times
2 hours ago
- Times
Old man rule is lacking critical wisdom
Vladimir Putin, I'm reliably told, has developed a nasty morning cough. In quieter times, doctors would probably have urged the 72-year-old to soak up the sun in a Black Sea dacha. But as demonstrated by last weekend's Ukrainian drone raid on an oil refinery near Sochi, air space over the Russian seaside is no longer entirely safe. There's no rest, it seems, for the wicked. Still, the health of world leaders should be of public concern. Gerontocrats, like it or not, currently hold the future of the world in their palms. Are they up to it or are they beginning to buckle? Should we trust them? Do we have a choice? As AI algorithms infiltrate everyday lives, as populists revolt and postwar institutions crumble, so the political realm is changing at galloping pace — and guiding us through the tangle will be a bunch of old men (all men so far), analogue boomers who barely know how to organise their emails. I know these people; they are my cohort. 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Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Report: Putin could end aerial bombardment of Ukraine to avoid Trump sanctions
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