Russia points finger of blame at Kyiv over Moscow gun attack

A senior Russian security official yesterday laid the blame on Ukraine for orchestrating the attack on a Moscow concert hall that left at least 139 people dead last week.

The accusation from the secretary of Russia’s powerful Security Council Nikolai Patrushev comes after the Islamic State group said it was behind the attack – the most deadly on Russian territory in over two decades.

“Of course, Ukraine,” said Patrushev, answering a question on whether Kyiv or the Islamic State group, which claimed responsibility, was behind Friday’s attack.

Despite the claims from the jihadist group and assertions from US intelligence, Moscow has sought to divert blame for the tragedy onto Kyiv, which has vehemently denied any link to the attackers.

Efforts to sow panic in our society

President Vladimir Putin on Monday acknowledged for the first time that “radical Islamists” were behind last week’s attack, but also suggested they were linked to Ukraine.

“Of course, it is necessary to answer the question, why, after committing the crime, the terrorists tried to go to Ukraine? Who was waiting for them there?” he added.

Without providing any evidence, Putin connected the attack at Crocus City Hall to a series of incursions into Russian territory by pro-Ukrainian sabaotage groups, and said they were all part of efforts to “sow panic in our society”.

The concert hall massacre was a major blow for Putin just over a week after he claimed a new term after one-sided elections the Kremlin billed as an endorsement of his military operation against Ukraine.

A senior aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday again denied Kyiv’s involvement and instead blamed the “incompetence” of the Russian security services. (AFP)