Attack near Moscow: Russia still accuses Ukraine, Washington denounces “absurd propaganda”

Russia claimedé Thursday have the "proof" that the perpetrators of the attack which left 143 dead near Moscow had links with "Ukrainian nationalists", accusations described by Washington as " absurd propaganda.

The attack, which took place Friday evening in a large concert hall, was claimed by the jihadist organization Islamic State (IS) but Russian officials say Ukraine and the West are the instigators.

Kiev and its allies deny any involvement in this killing and believe that the Kremlin, in the midst of an armed conflict against Ukraine, is seeking to place the blame on the latter for political reasons.

The Investigative Committee, the body responsible for the main criminal investigations in Russia, affirmed Thursday in this context that it had new elements proving, according to it, a Ukrainian lead.

” Work with detained terrorists, examination of technical devices seized from them and analysis of information on financial transactions made it possible to obtain evidence of their links with Ukrainian nationalists,” the Committee assured on Telegram.

Deadly attack in Moscow suburbs © AFP – Valentin RAKOVSKY, Paz PIZARRO

According to this organization, the four attackers also received “large sums of money and cryptocurrencies from Ukraine, which were used in the preparation of this crime”.

The investigators, who have not published any document or element to corroborate these statements, also announced the arrest of a new suspect, accused of having participated to “financing” the attack.

Authorities previously reported the arrest of 11 people, including the four suspected attackers. Eight were charged and placed in pre-trial detention.

– “Dung merchants” –

Russian leaders are “dung merchants” trying to spread “absurd propaganda” about the attack in the suburbs of the Russian capital, for which ISIS is “solely responsible”, the White House reacted on Thursday.

Image released by the Russian Emergencies Ministry, on March 26, 2024, of teams clearing debris from Crocus City Hall, after an attack, in Kranosgorsk, a suburb of Moscow © Russian Emergency Ministry – Handout

John Kirby, the spokesman for the National Security Council, said that his farmer uncle “used to say that the best manure dealers often carry their samples in their mouths” and added: “The Russian officials seem to be quite good dung merchants.”

On March 22, armed men attacked the Crocus City Hall, near Moscow, opening fire on spectators and causing a huge fire. This attack, the deadliest in the last twenty years in Russia, left at least 143 dead and 360 injured, including children.

According to President Vladimir Putin, the four attackers were arrested in Russia's Bryansk region while trying to flee to Ukraine, where a “window” allowing them to cross the border had been prepared on the Ukrainian side.

< p>The director of the Russian security services (FSB), Alexander Bortnikov, assured that the Ukrainian and Western secret services had “facilitated” the attack.

Ukraine vigorously denies any involvement in this massacre, accusing Moscow of wanting to “blame” it on kyiv. The United States said it warned Russia in March that a terrorist attack was likely to target large gatherings in Moscow.

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