Kremlin doubts Ukraine's role in Crocus attack, Putin to use it politically
People close to Vladimir Putin do not believe that Ukraine was behind the attack on Crocus City Hall, reports Bloomberg. The agency's sources report that Kremlin officials were "shocked" by the failure of the Russian intelligence services. In the attack, close to 140 people died, and 182 were injured.
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According to one of the agency's sources, Putin participated in meetings during which officials "agreed that there are no terrorist connections with Ukraine." However, the Russian dictator still "intends to use this tragedy to unite Russians in the war against Ukraine," writes Bloomberg.
The death toll may be significantly higher
Kremlin officials were "shocked" by the failure of the Russian intelligence services to prevent the attack on Crocus City Hall, state sources. As Moscow reports, 139 people died, and 182 were injured. The death toll may be significantly higher than the Kremlin reports.
- Almost no one from the Russian political and business elites believes that the attack was carried out by Ukraine - say Bloomberg's sources, who wish to remain anonymous.
The so-called Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Vladimir Putin has twice publicly attempted to link the terrorist attack to Ukraine. In his first speech, delivered 19 hours after the attack on Crocus City Hall, he said the perpetrators of the terrorist attack were detained on their way to Ukraine, where the Ukrainian side allegedly prepared an "opening" for them to cross the border.
He then stated that we need to answer the question, "why did the terrorists try to get to Ukraine after committing the crime, who was waiting for them there."
Putin wants to frame Ukraine
According to Putin, even though the terrorist attack was carried out "by the hands of radical Islamists," the United States is trying to convince other countries that "in the Moscow terrorist attack there is allegedly no trace of Kiev, that the bloody terrorist attack was committed by Muslims."
On March 26, Secretary of the Security Council of Russia Nikolai Patrushev and FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov spoke about Ukraine's involvement in the terrorist attack. The latter claims that information about "a Ukrainian trace" is confirmed by the testimony of alleged terrorists, who were tortured during interrogation.
- This is confirmed by the fundamental data we received from the detainees. Therefore, we will continue to refine the information, which should show us whether the presence and participation of the Ukrainian side are real or not. In any case, there are reasons to claim that this is indeed the case - stated Bortnikov.
"Sick and cynical creature"
Ukraine denies any participation in the terrorist attack on Crocus. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking of Putin's claims, called the Russian dictator a "sick and cynical creature".
- Everyone he has are terrorists, except for himself, although he has been feeding on terror for twenty years. He is the biggest window on terror. He and his intelligence services - said the President of Ukraine.
