Moscow attack: Russia “hopes that the French secret services are not behind it”

The Russian Defense Ministry said it hoped, after a telephone conversation on Wednesday between the French Minister of Arms & eacute;es and its Russian counterpart, that "the French secret servicesçais" were not involved in the attack near Moscow claimed by the by the Islamic State (IS) organization.

“The Kiev regime does nothing without the approval of its Western supervisors. We hope that, in this case, the French secret services are not behind this”, indicated Sergei Shoigu, in the press release from his ministry reporting the call.

Paris had previously affirmed that, during this call, French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu had “recalled France's availability” for “increased exchanges” with Russia in the fight against “terrorism” after the attack on 22 March claimed by ISIS.

On March 22, armed men entered a concert hall before opening fire on the crowd and setting fire to the building. At least 144 people died and 360 were injured in this attack claimed by IS.

The Crocus City Hall burned down, after an attack, on March 26, 2024 in Krasnogorsk, a suburb of Moscow © AFP – NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA

The Kremlin admitted that “radical Islamists” had been behind the attack, while denouncing Ukrainian involvement coordinated by the West.

< p>The Russian ministry also once again returned to the recent controversial comments of Emmanuel Macron, who estimated in February that sending troops to Ukraine could not “be ruled out”.

“Sergueï Shoigu indicated that if (these declarations, Editor's note) were implemented, it would create problems for France itself,” said the Russian ministry.

All rights of reproduction and representation reserved. © (2024) Agence France-Presse