Tajik migrants: Russia’s clampdown on raises economic and security risks

LUCY PAPACHRISTOU and NAZARALI PIRNAZAROV, of Reuters, report on how migrant workers from Central Asia say they are facing growing hostility in Russia…
Russian spy chief says more than 20 arrested over deadly concert attack

Moscow, Russia Reuters Russia has arrested more than 20 people in connection with an attack claimed by Islamic State that killed more than 140 people at a concert hall near Moscow in March, the head of the FSB security service said on Friday. Alexander Bortnikov repeated Russia’s assertion, for which it has not provided evidence, […]
Iran alerted Russia to security threat before Moscow attack, sources say

Dubai, United Arab Emirates Reuters Iran tipped off Russia about the possibility of a major “terrorist operation” on its soil ahead of the concert hall massacre near Moscow last month, three sources familiar with the matter said. In the deadliest attack inside Russia in 20 years, gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons at concertgoers on […]
Russia seeks extradition of Ukraine security service head; Ukraine rejects demand

Reuters Russia is demanding that Ukraine hand over all people connected with terrorist acts committed in Russia, including the head of the country’s SBU Security Service, the foreign ministry said on Sunday. The SBU immediately dismissed the Russian demand as “pointless” and said the Russian ministry had “forgotten” that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin was the […]
Foreign diplomats lay flowers in memory of Russia’s concert hall attack victims; Tajikistan says migrants fleeing Russia

Moscow, Russia Reuters Ambassadors from a number of foreign countries took part in a ceremony on Saturday in memory of the victims of this month’s concert hall attack near Moscow which left dozens dead, the Russian foreign ministry’s protocol department said. Gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons at concertgoers on 22nd March in the worst […]
Russia links concert shooting to “Ukrainian nationalists”; US says “nonsense”

Moscow, Russia/Washington DC, US Reuters Russian investigators said on Thursday they had found proof that gunmen who killed more than 140 people at a concert last week were linked to “Ukrainian nationalists”, an assertion immediately dismissed by the United States as baseless propaganda. Russia has said from the outset that it believes Ukraine was linked […]
Russia says it is hard to believe Islamic State could have launched Moscow attack

Moscow, Russia Reuters Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday that it was “extremely hard to believe” that Islamic State would have had the capacity to launch an attack on a Moscow concert hall last Friday that killed at least 143 people. Zakharova repeated Moscow’s assertions, for which it has not yet provided […]
Nearly 100 people still missing after Moscow attack, Russian news site says

London, UK Reuters As many as 95 people are still missing after last week’s attack near Moscow when gunmen sprayed concertgoers with automatic weapons and set the venue on fire, a Russian news outlet reported on Wednesday. The official toll from the attack on Crocus City Hall now stands at 140 dead and 182 wounded. […]
For Pope Francis and Vatican diplomats, peace in Ukraine more important than ideology

Vatican City RNS On Palm Sunday, Pope Francis once again expressed his closeness to the “martyred” country of Ukraine, while also praying for the victims of the “vile terrorist attack” in Moscow on Friday that left 139 people dead and many more wounded. As many Christians draw closer to Easter, Pope Francis and the Vatican […]
Eighth suspect in Moscow attack appears in court, rights commissioner warns on torture

Reuters 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 […]