Putin Blames Ukraine for Moscow Concert Attack, Dismisses ISIS-K Claim

It has been two weeks since the terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow. Since that time, President Vladimir Putin has continued to weave a narrative of Ukrainian responsibility for this horrific event. He doesn't believe that Islamists orchestrated the attack.

On March 22, terrorists attacked the Crocus City Hall concert venue in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow. The crowd was fired upon, and explosive devices were set off. Following this, a fire erupted, leading to the collapse of the building's roof. At least 144 people lost their lives.

The terrorist group ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the attack at Crocus City Hall. This declaration came shortly after the incident occurred.

Russian authorities assert, without providing any proof, that Ukraine ultimately is to blame. Kyiv denied any involvement - reported the "Meduza" website.

Similar is the stance of Vladimir Putin, who steadfastly promotes a storyline of Ukrainian responsibility for this dreadful event. He doesn't accept that Islamists executed the attack.

Russia cannot be a target of Islamic fundamentalist attacks (...) We have grounds to believe that the primary objective of those who masterminded the bloody, appalling terrorist attack on Crocus City Hall, was to dismantle our unity - emphasizes Putin.

According to the president, Russia is a nation where diverse communities of different faiths, including Muslims, live together harmoniously.

In one of his addresses, Putin also talked about the occupied territories of Ukraine. He stated that as many as 3.2 million residents of the Kherson, Luhansk, Donetsk, and Kharkiv regions have already been issued Russian passports.

Emergency preparedness needs to be stepped up. Public spaces in the Russian Federation must be urgently secured - Putin instructed his officials, adding that "internal and external threats to the nation are often intertwined and aim to constrain Russia".