Russian Security Chief Patrushev blames Ukraine for Moscow Oblast terror attack, dismissing ISIS involvement

After Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin accused "those fighting against Russia at the hands of the Kyiv regime" of being responsible for the shooting at the Crocus City Hall, Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, stated that Ukraine and not ISIS was behind the terrorist attack on 22 March.

Source: Kremlin-aligned news agency RIA Novosti; Interfax; Novaya Gazeta Europe

Quote from Patrushev in response to whether Ukraine or ISIS is behind the terrorist attack: "Certainly Ukraine."

Details: At the same time, the press secretary of the Kremlin leader, Dmitry Peskov, said it is impossible to talk about it while the investigation is ongoing.

"The President [Russia’s leader Putin] said that, based on certain early reports, well, you should reread the president's words. What is the exact [sort of connection with Ukraine – ed.] is naturally impossible to talk about at this stage. And when the investigation deems it appropriate and possible, naturally, the information will be provided," he said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in turn, stated that Russia does not need the assistance offered by Interpol in the investigation of the terrorist act because "it will clearly be a manifestation of double standards and most likely will be aimed at promoting a convenient theory for the West that the ISIS did it, and Ukraine had nothing to do with it."

"We are unlikely to need such assistance, we will cope on our own," Lavrov believes.

Alexander Bortnikov, Director of the Federal Security Service of Russia, baselessly claimed that radical Islamists were preparing the attack at the Crocus with the help of Ukrainian security services, although he specified that the organisers of the attack have not yet been identified.

He also claimed that the terrorists were planning to flee to Ukraine, and the Russian special services "did everything to prevent this from happening". "The fact that they [the terrorists – ed.] were planning to go there [to Ukraine – ed.], and were expected there – is a fact," said Bortnikov.

Previously:

• Vladimir Putin, the head of the Russian Federation, admitted that the terrorist attack on 22 March on Crocus City Hall was carried out by "radical Islamists" but blamed the shooting on "those who are fighting Russia at the hands of the Kyiv regime".

• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected Russian leader Vladimir Putin's accusations that Ukraine was involved in the terrorist attack in Moscow Oblast. Zelenskyy said that Putin considers everyone a terrorist except himself.

Background:

• A shooting incident occurred prior to a concert by the band Piknik at the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast, on the evening of 22 March. Early reports said at least 40 people were killed and 130 injured.

• Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) stated that the terrorist attack was a deliberate provocation by Putin’s regime that had been anticipated by the international community.

• The White House said it saw no evidence of any Ukrainian involvement in the attack, which has claimed the lives of dozens of people.

• Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to the head of the Ukrainian President’s Office, stated that Ukraine had nothing to do with the attack.

• The United States does not doubt that ISIS was involved in the terrorist attack on the evening of 22 March and had warned Russia in advance of the threat of it happening.

• ISIS called the terrorist attack in the Crocus City Hall in Moscow Oblast their "most brutal attack in recent years" and posted photos of the terrorists. Their clothing matches that of the detainees whose photos were posted by the FSB.

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