Gunmen attacked a concert hall near Moscow, killing at least 139 people. It was Russia’s deadliest terrorist incident since the Beslan school siege in 2004. An affiliate of Islamic State in Central Asia claimed responsibility. Four of the alleged attackers appeared in court, severely bruised and beaten, to face charges of terrorism. The authorities say the men are from Tajikistan. The American embassy in Moscow had warned of an attack in early March, telling its citizens to avoid large gatherings. Russia ignored the warning. Vladimir Putin and Russian media have instead brazenly tried to link the attack to Ukraine. One television channel aired fake video clips of a Ukrainian official crowing over the incident.
Russia intensified its drone and missile assaults on Ukraine, stepping them up shortly before the IS attack in Moscow. Kyiv, the capital, was hit and energy infrastructure targeted across the country. Poland scrambled fighter jets when a Russian missile strayed into its air space.
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