Russian President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged that “radical Islamists” were responsible for the deadly attack on a Moscow concert hall last Friday.

However, he reiterated his assertion that they had some form of connection to Ukraine and the Western nations.

Ukraine promptly dismissed the Russian assertion as ludicrous. The Islamic State (IS) group has claimed responsibility for the atrocity, which resulted in the deaths of 139 individuals, and has circulated footage of the attack.

According to Russian officials, twenty-two people, including two children, remain in critical condition in hospitals, BBC reported.

During a televised meeting on Monday, President Putin stated, “We are aware that the crime was perpetrated by radical Islamists, whose ideology has been combated by the Islamic world itself for centuries.”

He further stated, “We want to know who ordered it.” President Putin contended that many questions regarding the incident remained unanswered, reiterating an unverified allegation that the assailants had attempted to flee towards Ukraine.

Written by B.C. Begley