The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has issued a statement saying the United States “strongly condemns yesterday’s deadly terrorist attack in Moscow,” and expressing “deepest condolences” to the loved ones of all those affected.
Blinken added that Washington stands in solidarity “with the people of Russia” and condemns “terrorism in all its forms”.
Earlier, an unnamed official told the BBC’s partner CBS News that US intelligence confirms the Islamic State group’s claim that it was responsible for Friday’s attack.
A US National Security Council spokesperson confirmed last night that America had shared information about an impending attack with the Russian authorities earlier this month.
The White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby, speaking yesterday at a briefing shortly after reports about the attack in Moscow began to emerge, said, “There is no indication at this time that Ukraine or Ukrainians were involved in the shooting”.
The Russian Foreign Ministry reacted angrily to those remarks, asking “On what basis can officials in Washington draw any kinds of conclusions about somebody’s lack of involvement whilst a tragedy is unfolding? If the United States has such information, they should share it. If they don’t have any such information, then the White House has no right to absolve anyone.”
