(Reuters) – Tajikistan’s foreign ministry on Saturday rejected a claim made by a top Russian security official regarding Ukraine’s embassy in Tajikistan allegedly recruiting mercenaries to fight against Russia. The Tajik Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Shokhin Samadi, was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying that the assertion by the Russian official had no factual basis.
Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, made the claim on Wednesday, alleging that “Ukrainian special services” were involved in last month’s deadly concert shooting near Moscow. However, no evidence was provided to support this claim. Patrushev also stated that the Ukrainian embassy in Tajikistan was actively recruiting fighters, as reported by state media.
The government of Ukraine has strongly denied any involvement in the attack, which resulted in the tragic deaths of at least 144 individuals. The United States has also refuted the claim, placing sole responsibility on Islamic State militants for the tragic event.
(Reporting by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Mark Potter)
