Russia pins blame on Ukraine, U.S. for Crocus City Hall terrorist attack

By richardbrown // 2024-04-05

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Russian officials persisted in their efforts on Wednesday, April 3, to blame the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack on Ukraine and the United States rather than acknowledging the Islamic State's admission of responsibility for the terrible attack. Despite ISIS claiming responsibility for the massacre and reports indicating that Russia had received warnings from both U.S. and Iranian intelligence about an imminent ISIS attack, Security Council of the Russian Federation Secretary Nikolay Patrushev chose to deflect blame. During a recent meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Patrushev argued that Ukraine and the U.S. were "trying to impose it on us" that the terrorist attack that killed over 140 people "was committed not by the Kyiv regime but by supporters of the radical Islamic ideology, possibly, by members of the Afghan branch of [ISIS]." Patrushev is referring to the Central Asian-based regional branch of ISIS, the Islamic State-Khorasan Province, or ISIS-K. "However, it is far more important to promptly establish who is the mastermind and the sponsor of this horrific crime," Patrushev continued. "Its traces lead to Ukrainian intelligence services." Asserting that the Kyiv regime is under full control of the U.S., Patrushev echoed the Russian government's narrative that Washington is responsible for the creation of terrorist groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda. He accused Ukraine of harboring ISIS militants and exploiting them for its agenda. (Related: Moscow terrorist attack: A declaration of war by the West against Russia.) Patrushev further claimed that the perpetrators of the attack and their accomplices were apprehended while attempting to flee into Ukraine, suggesting complicity on the part of Ukrainian authorities. He criticized Western media for what he described as extensive, pre-planned coverage of the attack, insinuating collusion with a narrative contrary to Russia's interests. Despite these claims, Russian officials have yet to present concrete evidence implicating Ukraine in the attack. Patrushev's assertion regarding a Ukrainian escape route for the terrorists is based on unverified statements made by Russian President Vladimir Putin shortly after the incident. Both the U.S. and Ukrainian governments have vehemently denied any involvement in the attack.

Kremlin: Intelligence report before the attack too vague to act upon

Russian officials downplayed the significance of the intelligence report provided to them before the attack by claiming it was too vague to act upon. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested that such information exchange typically occurs through specialized channels and attempted to dismiss the detailed warning provided by U.S. intelligence as mere "intelligence chatter." According to assessments from international security experts, Putin is endeavoring, without substantiated evidence, to associate Ukraine with the recent assault on a concert hall in Moscow to galvanize domestic support for Russia's military actions in Ukraine. Immediately after the attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue, ISIS-K claimed responsibility. Russian authorities also reported the arrest of 12 individuals purportedly linked to the attack, including four suspected gunmen identified as citizens of the Central Asian, majority Muslim nation of Tajikistan. Retired U.S. Army Col. Robert Hamilton of the Middle East Institute in Washington, an expert on security matters, labeled the Kremlin's attempt to link the attack to Ukraine as a cynical but convenient tactic. He emphasized that there is no evidence implicating Ukraine in the attack and underscored that Ukraine does not engage in terrorist acts or war crimes. Watch this clip from the "Breanna Morello Show" as she discusses the possibility of radical Islamist migrants orchestrating a Moscow-style attack on the United States. This video is from the MyPodcastDropped2320 channel on Brighteon.com.

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Kremlin: Intelligence report before the attack too vague to act upon

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