Ukraine refutes Russia's 'terrorist' accusations amid heightened tensions

Ukraine has officially responded to the 'absurd' demands of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Kremlin accused Ukraine of orchestrating a terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall and demanded the arrest and extradition of all individuals involved. In rebuttal, the Security Service of Ukraine highlighted that "Putin is officially on the international wanted list."

Many reports circulated by Russian media or official sources are considered propaganda elements, contributing to the information warfare driven by the Russian Federation.

In the suburb of Krasnogorsk near Moscow, a terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall resulted in at least 144 fatalities and roughly 551 people injured. The Islamic State of Khorasan Province, the Afghan branch of the terrorist group Islamic State, has claimed responsibility for the attack. Russian law enforcement has reported the capture of four Tajik nationals behind the attack, alongside several suspected accomplices.

However, Russian authorities have insinuated Ukraine's involvement in the attack right from the start. On Sunday, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "Investigative actions by the competent Russian authorities have traced all these crimes back to Ukraine."

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also named other terrorist attacks it claims were supported by Ukraine. These involve explosions that resulted in the death of figures such as Darya Dugina and Vladen Tatarski, the bombing of the Crimea Bridge, and a blast in a cafe in Petersburg, with the Russian Volunteer Corps also being attributed to Ukrainian influence.

In light of these accusations, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded on Sunday that the Ukrainian authorities make "immediate arrests and extraditions" of anyone involved in these terrorist activities, explicitly mentioning the head of the SBU, Vasyl Hrytsak.

The Russians have surpassed the peak of absurdity in their demands, also pressing that "the regime in Kyiv must cease support for terrorism, surrender the perpetrators, and compensate the victims for the damages." This ignores the near-daily missile and drone attacks by Russia on Ukrainian civilians over two years.

The Security Service of Ukraine has dismissed the outlandish claims of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"In attempting to appeal to international law, specifically the Convention on the Fight against Terrorism, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs overlooks the fact that Putin is on the international wanted list - expected to face trial at The Hague Tribunal for abducting Ukrainian children," states the SBU, as reported by the 24 Kanal news outlet.

"Claims of terrorism are especially audacious coming from the country known for terrorism, marked on the anniversary of the liberation of Bucha and the enslavement there by Russian forces," Ukraine counters.

The SBU has deemed the statements of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be insignificant. "The only statement from the Russian Federation that would demand attention is its admission of defeat in the war and the withdrawal of its occupying forces from Ukrainian territory," it concluded.

Source: SBU, Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 24 Kanal, PAP