The gunmen from Tajikistan who carried out a deadly attack in Moscow last week briefly entered Turkey to renew their Russian residence permits, but their radicalization did not happen there, a Turkish security official told Reuters on Monday.
There was no existing arrest warrant against the attackers, meaning they could travel freely between Turkey and Russia, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, adding that the attackers had been living in Moscow for a long time.
Two of the attackers left Turkey to travel to Moscow on the same flight on March 2, 2024, the person said.
More than 143 people were killed and dozens more injured in the attack, which was later claimed by Islamic State.