Russian Court Charges Suspects in Moscow Concert Hall Attack as Death Toll Rises

Four suspects accused of carrying out a deadly attack at a Moscow concert hall appeared in court on terror charges, with three of them showing signs of physical abuse. The Kremlin defended its security services amid criticism for failing to prevent the massacre, while alleging, without evidence, that the perpetrators planned to flee to Ukraine. Despite ISIS claiming responsibility for the attack, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other officials have sought to blame Ukraine, prompting denials and accusations of a "planned provocation" by the Kremlin. The United States had previously warned Russia of potential ISIS threats, but Putin dismissed the warnings as "provocative."