Reactions to the concert attack

Both IS and Russian media share images of suspects

On Saturday, the IS terrorist group published images of four terrorists who allegedly carried out the attack in Moscow, reports CNN. The men are not identifiable in the photos, wearing balaclavas while the rest of their faces are blurred. According to IS, the act was preceded by "intensive surveillance operations" at the site.

Photos of four suspected perpetrators have also been published in the Russian media, but it is unclear whether they are the same people. The named men are between 21 and 51 years old, and are said to have been arrested on Saturday morning in a getaway car in Bryansk, near the border with Ukraine and Belarus.

Unverified clips from the arrest are spreading rapidly online, writes BBC reporter Laura Gozzi. At the same time, she notes that at least two people must have been wrongfully hanged shortly after the attack.

"Until the Russian authorities present convincing evidence, it is likely that unverified rumors and footage will continue to circulate," she continues.

The people behind the attack are not Russian citizens, the Ministry of the Interior says.

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The Kremlin is said to be pressuring state media to emphasize a possible Ukrainian connection

Russian state media have been instructed by the Kremlin to underline in their reporting any "possible traces" of Ukrainian involvement in Friday's attack. This is stated by two employees of pro-Kremlin media for the independent Meduza.

Both President Vladimir Putin and the FSB intelligence service say the suspected perpetrators planned to flee to Ukraine after the crime and were arrested near the Ukrainian border.

Ukrainian authorities and politicians deny any involvement in the crime and the Russian claims have not been confirmed by an independent party.

The White House stated after the attack that there was no indication that Ukraine was involved in the attack.