«Russia's assumptions of a link with Ukraine regarding the attack on Moscow are ridiculous». This was declared by an allied diplomatic source. “No evidence was presented: this is another example of Kremlin disinformation,” she points out.
Even from Italy the dose increases. «It seems like a lot of propaganda to me, clearly the attack is of Islamic origin, there were problems in the Muslim republics of the former Soviet Union and there is always a situation of great tension. I believe it is a demonstrative action by that world against Russia, which has already been planned.” The deputy prime minister and foreign minister said so Antonio Tajani to Tagadà on La7, regarding the accusations by Russian intelligence according to which Ukraine was behind the attack in Moscow with the involvement of the United States and Great Britain.
The other version: “Kiev trains Islamist militiamen in the Middle East”
The preliminary information gathered from the interrogations of those arrested “confirms the Ukrainian lead” in Friday's attack on the Crocus City Hall in Moscow, the internal security service FSB said, quoted by the Ria Novosti agency. Director of the Russian Internal Security Services (FSB) Alexander Bortnikov said that Ukraine's secret services contributed to the terrorist attack in Moscow which was perpetrated by radical Islamists.
Bortnikov accused Ukraine of training Islamist militants in the Middle East. According to Bortnikov, quoted by Tass, this is evidenced by the large number of foreigners fighting with Kiev's forces. “They are nationalists, mercenaries, Islamists that the country brings to fight against Russia”, added the head of the FSB, without making direct reference to the 4 arrested for the attack in Moscow but underlining that Ukrainian representatives visited terrorist bases in the Middle East.
Bortnikov added that the Crocus City Hall attackers were “trained by Kiev in the Middle East.” And that the preliminary results of the investigation indicate an involvement of the USA and Great Britain in the attack on Moscow.
Russia will respond with retaliatory measures to the terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall in Moscow, added Bortnikov, quoted by Tass. Bortnikov explains that the head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Kirylo Budanov, “is a legitimate target for Russian military forces, as is anyone who perpetrates crimes against Russia.”
Ukraine was preparing to welcome the terrorists who carried out the attack on Moscow's Crocus City Hall “as heroes”, Bortnikov said, quoted by Tass.
“Russia's hypotheses of a link with Ukraine regarding the attack in Moscow are ridiculous,” according to a diplomatic source allied to ANSA. “No evidence was presented: this is another example of Kremlin disinformation,” she points out.
Preliminary information gathered from the interrogations of those arrested “confirms the Ukrainian lead” in Friday's attack at the Crocus City Hall in Moscow, the internal security service FSB also said, quoted by the Ria Novosti agency.
The Moscow court dealing with the Crocus City Hall massacre has turned the detention of an eighth suspect in the attack into arrest. This is Alisher Kasimov, originally from Kyrgyzstan but a Russian citizen. The man is accused of having rented an apartment to the alleged terrorists, but he said he did so without knowing who they were.
Three days after the massacre, Vladimir Putin returned yesterday to address the Russians, and the whole world, to admit that the attack on the Crocus City Hall was carried out by “Islamic extremists”. But at the same time he raised suspicions about Kiev, stating that the investigation will have to find out “who instigated” the massacre. “We must answer the question why the terrorists were trying to go to Ukraine and who was waiting for them there”, said the president in a meeting with his collaborators on the measures to be taken after the attack, whose death toll rose to 139, while around a hundred injured remain hospitalized.
The attack was “an intimidation of Russia and the question arises who benefits from this”, he added, accusing the US of “trying to convince everyone” that Kiev had no role in the massacre. To then order his men to constantly report to him on how the investigations on the arrested terrorists, but also on their “instigators” are progressing.
It is still early to talk about what Russia's reaction will be if Ukraine's participation in Friday's attack on Crocus City Hall in Moscow is proven. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Tass. “An investigation is underway, it would not be correct to speculate hypothetically at this time.”