Despite credible claims by Islamist terrorists, Nikolai Patrushev, the Secretary of Russia’s National Security Council, has accused Ukraine of being responsible for the attack near Moscow last Friday.
When questioned by journalists on Tuesday about whether the Islamic State terrorist militia or Ukraine was behind the attack on the Crocus City Hall concert hall, which resulted in at least 139 deaths, Patrushev stated that Ukraine was, of course, responsible for the attack, according to the state news agency TASS. The 72-year-old, known for his staunch support of the Russian war against Ukraine, did not provide an explanation for how he arrived at this assessment.
Islamic State had already claimed responsibility for the attack in Moscow on several occasions.
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Western security authorities and experts also considered this to be credible and suspect the offshoot Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) to be behind it.
Despite Russian claims without evidence, Ukraine has vehemently denied any involvement in the attack. Russian President Vladimir Putin, while somewhat restrained, stated that he relied on the Russian General Prosecutor’s Office to ensure the perpetrators faced justice according to Russian law. Putin acknowledged the attack as the work of Islamist terrorists but also insinuated a Ukrainian connection, emphasizing the need to determine who ordered the attack. While attributing the execution to Islamists, Putin pointed to motives originating from Ukraine rather than the Islamic State.
