WHY RUSSIA FINDS IT 'HARD TO BELIEVE' THAT ISIS ATTACKED MOSCOW
NEW DELHI: In the aftermath of the harrowing attack on Moscow's Crocus City Hall, which left at least 140 people dead, the Russian Foreign Ministry is casting doubt on the involvement of Islamic State, despite its claim of responsibility. Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova expressed skepticism on Wednesday, saying it was "extremely hard to believe" that Islamic State could orchestrate such a massacre, marking the deadliest assault on Russian soil in two decades.
Amidst a cloud of suspicion and grief, Zakharova suggested, without providing evidence, that Ukraine, backed by Western powers, might be behind the catastrophe. "In order to ward off suspicions from the collective West, they urgently needed to come up with something, so they resorted to ISIS, pulled an ace out of their sleeve," she claimed, casting doubts on the swift attribution of the attack to Islamic State by Western media.
The narrative from Moscow aligns with President Vladimir Putin's remarks, suggesting that while Islamist militants executed the assault, there might be a Ukrainian subplot, hinting at a supposed opportunity facilitated for the assailants' escape. This theory is partially echoed by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, who noted the attackers' initial plans to flee towards Belarus.
Amidst these convoluted claims, the international community watches as the blame game unfolds. The director of Russia's FSB security agency has implicated not just Ukraine but also the United States and Britain in the gruesome event, a sentiment starkly countered by British Foreign Secretary David Cameron as "utter nonsense."
The streets of Moscow, meanwhile, resonate with a different tone. The national day of mourning brought forward a collective outpour of shock, grief, and anger. Mourners, still grappling with disbelief and sorrow, shared their mixed reactions to the proposed Ukrainian link, with many questioning the integrity of their own security services following the tragedy.
The Kremlin's rhetoric has intensified, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov asserting that Russia is effectively "in a state of war" with Ukraine. This shift in language marks a significant escalation and frames the ongoing conflict in new, more dire terms.
In response to Moscow's accusations, the White House reaffirmed ISIS's sole responsibility for the attack, categorically denying any Ukrainian involvement. This stark contradiction between Russian allegations and US assertions adds layers to an already complex geopolitical puzzle.
(With inputs from agencies)