After the terrorist attack that occurred on Friday March 22 near Moscow, Russia, the Kremlin suspects that the arrested suspects had contacts in Ukraine. kyiv rejects the accusation.
The terrorist attack adds fuel to the fire of the Russian-Ukrainian war. After the attack which took place on Friday March 22 near Moscow, the Russia announced the arrest of eleven individuals, “including four terrorists directly involved in the attack”, according to Russian news agencies, reports West France. The suspects have “contacts” in Ukraine, according to Russian security services.
“After committing the terrorist attack, the criminals planned to cross the Russian-Ukrainian border and had appropriate contacts on the Ukrainian side,” the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) said, adding that the suspected attackers were also arrested in a border region. Comments echoed by Russian President Vladymyr Poutine this Saturday, March 23, during a televised speech. “According to preliminary data (from investigators), a window had been prepared for them to cross the border,” he accused before assuring that “those behind these terrorists will be punished” and that they “ will not have an enviable destiny”, relays West France.
“Absurd” accusations for the Ukrainian presidency
We expected Russian officials’ version of the “Ukrainian trace” in the terrorist attack in #CrocusCityHall. Primitivism and predictability are ideal characteristics of the Russian security services. Once again, the #FSB confirms this… But it is still necessary to emphasize the
— (@Podolyak_M) March 23, 2024
Ukraine strongly rejects these accusations. “We expected that the version of Russian officials would be the Ukrainian lead,” confided Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhaïlo Podoliak on X. “The statements of the Russian special services concerning Ukraine are absolutely untenable and absurd . […] Ukraine has not the slightest connection with the incident,” he added.
The investigation opened Friday evening by the Russian services continues. Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock said the organization was ready to support Russian investigators in their investigations after the attack.
In a “state of war”
Before the attack was claimed by the jihadist group Islamic State, Ukraine had made a point of denying any involvement, recalls the French daily. The country had been the victim, that very morning, of one of the most significant Russian strikes since the start of the war. In the afternoon, Friday March 22, for the first time, the Kremlin spokesperson agreed that Russia was “in a state of war.”