"Putin Blames ISIS and Ukraine for Moscow Concert Attack as Death Toll Rises and Suspects Show Signs of Torture"

Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged that "radical Islamists" were behind the Moscow concert hall massacre, which left nearly 140 people dead, but he continued to blame Ukraine for the attack. The Islamic State's Afghanistan-based branch, ISIS-Khorasan, claimed responsibility for the deadly assault. Despite international consensus on the perpetrators, Putin accused the U.S. of trying to absolve Kyiv of involvement and suggested American interference. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Putin's claims and condemned the attempt to shift blame. The four shooting suspects appeared in a Moscow court, with unverified videos of their interrogations circulating on social media, showing signs of torture.