Vladimir Putin seems to have sunk deeper into his own disinformation bubble. On March 7, the U.S., and specifically, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, warned publicly that terror groups were planning a major attack, and specifically advised Americans to avoid concert venues. Putin pooh-poohed the warning, and said that the situation was normal (probably relying on his FSB sources -- the same people who said the Ukraine war would be a walkover). https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-dismissed-us-warnings-days-before-moscow-concert-hall-attack-2024-3
Then, when terrorists, probably ISIS-K, attacked a concert hall in the Crocus Center outside Moscow, killing over a hundred people and wounding even more, Putin's talking heads immediately pivoted to say that Ukraine was behind the attack, and even accused the U.S. of being a party to the attack. https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/03/22/7447754/
This morning, and despite the fact that ISIS-K had already claimed responsibility, Putin went on TV steadfastly maintaining that Ukraine was connected somehow, since the terrorists were arrested while trying to make their way to Ukraine (there is no evidence for this, and it sounds like a desperate FSB fabrication). https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/23/world/europe/moscow-attack-putin.html
All these developments are very worrying. That Putin and his security services could get things so wrong is no surprise. That the first impulse of Putin and those seeking to deflect attention for Russian security failures was to blame Ukraine for everything is also not surprising.
The worrying thing is that, at a time when Putin and his minions are trying to fake up even more excuses for Russia's own terror attacks on Ukraine, the U.S. is paralyzed, unable to send Ukraine the military aid it desperately needs. This has to change, and change fast.
Vladimir Putin seems to have sunk deeper into his own disinformation bubble. On March 7, the U.S., and specifically, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, warned publicly that terror groups were planning a major attack, and specifically advised Americans to avoid concert venues. Putin pooh-poohed the warning, and said that the situation was normal (probably relying on his FSB sources -- the same people who said the Ukraine war would be a walkover). https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-dismissed-us-warnings-days-before-moscow-concert-hall-attack-2024-3
Then, when terrorists, probably ISIS-K, attacked a concert hall in the Crocus Center outside Moscow, killing over a hundred people and wounding even more, Putin's talking heads immediately pivoted to say that Ukraine was behind the attack, and even accused the U.S. of being a party to the attack. https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/03/22/7447754/
This morning, and despite the fact that ISIS-K had already claimed responsibility, Putin went on TV steadfastly maintaining that Ukraine was connected somehow, since the terrorists were arrested while trying to make their way to Ukraine (there is no evidence for this, and it sounds like a desperate FSB fabrication). https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/23/world/europe/moscow-attack-putin.html
All these developments are very worrying. That Putin and his security services could get things so wrong is no surprise. That the first impulse of Putin and those seeking to deflect attention for Russian security failures was to blame Ukraine for everything is also not surprising.
The worrying thing is that, at a time when Putin and his minions are trying to fake up even more excuses for Russia's own terror attacks on Ukraine, the U.S. is paralyzed, unable to send Ukraine the military aid it desperately needs. This has to change, and change fast.
And absolutely valid point on Kremlin’s obsession with the omnipotent status of the state.
Here are some eyewitness accounts published by BBC’s Russian Service. https://open.substack.com/pub/bbcrussian/p/crocus-city-hall-attack-eyewitness-accounts