Large ongoing terrorist attack in Moscow

[Storr]

"Three days ago, Putin dismissed U.S. warnings about possible terrorist attacks in Moscow at crowded venues. he said it was “outright blackmail” by the West and an attempt to “intimidate and destabilize our society.”"

https://twitter.com/KevinRothrock/status/1771245554619572471?s=20

[Storr]

Almost definitely Chechens, but who knows if that's who Putin will blame.

Ukraine recognized Chechen independence in October 2022. That will probably give Putin enough evidence to tie the attack to Ukraine, using his typical imaginary logic.

[Storr]

Any chance it’s pro-Ukrainian agitators?

Anything is possible, I suppose. But based on just the type of attack alone, it fits the MO of Chechen terrorists more than Ukrainian intelligence operations. The latter has gone after assassinating individuals involved with perpetuating the war in Ukraine instead of committing mass murder.

"Russian military correspondents quote witnesses as saying the attackers in Moscow are “men with beards and in body armor, of Oriental (Russian for Caucasus or Central Asia) appearance.”"

https://twitter.com/yarotrof/status/1771240938418958800?s=20

[Storr]

"Russia’s intelligence community has reportedly ruled out both Ukraine and ISIS as potential perpetrators of today’s terrorist attack outside Moscow. A special operational HQ is still working out who might be responsible."

https://twitter.com/KevinRothrock/status/1771278982035456350?s=20

[Storr]

"The unofficial death toll of today’s terrorist attack in Moscow has risen to 62 people."

https://twitter.com/KevinRothrock/status/1771308525094060271?s=20

[Storr]

"Russia’s intelligence community has reportedly ruled out both Ukraine and ISIS as potential perpetrators of today’s terrorist attack outside Moscow. A special operational HQ is still working out who might be responsible."

https://twitter.com/KevinRothrock/status/1771278982035456350?s=20

Well it looks like the above tweet was wrong:

Rob Lee: "A U.S. official tells CBS News the U.S. has intelligence confirming the Islamic State's claims of responsibility, and that they have no reason to doubt those claims. The U.S. official also confirmed that the U.S. provided intelligence to Russia"

https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1771303415798227021?s=20

[Storr]

Supposedly it's ISIS-K. And from what I can gather, it's a branch composed of people from Central Asia and Afghanistan. What beef do they have with Russia??

According to this, the usual Islamic terrorist grievances: "“ISIS-K accuses the Kremlin of having Muslim blood in its hands, referencing Moscow’s interventions in Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Syria,”  counterterrorism analyst Colin P. Clarke tells NYT, which says it’s unclear how much info USA gave Russian officials beyond what was in the public warning. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/22/world/europe/isis-moscow-attack-concert-hall.html?smid=url-share"

https://twitter.com/KevinRothrock/status/1771310676121645294?s=20



 

[Storr]

Predictable, yet still shameless and disgusting:

"Russian TV airs fake video in which Ukrainian security official claims responsibility for Moscow terrorist attack

In a special news broadcast on the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack, the Russian television network NTV aired a fake video in which Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksiy Danilov supposedly confirms Kyiv’s involvement in Friday’s terrorist attack. The video in question uses edited footage from several days ago, Meduza has concluded."

https://meduza.io/en/live/2024/03/22/terrorist-attack-at-concert-hall-outside-moscow

[Storr]

"The longer Russian federal agencies wait to make an official attribution claim for Friday’s terrorist attack in Moscow, the more I worry the Kremlin is merely fine-tuning its exploitation of this tragedy and preparing to levy dubious allegations at Ukraine."

https://twitter.com/KevinRothrock/status/1771330527364108548?s=20

[Storr]

"As the official death toll passes 60 (unofficially, it’s 70+), Putin has reportedly met with his top national security officials: FSB director Bortnikov, MVD Minister Kolokoltsev, Investigative Committee head Bastrykin, and National Guard chief Zolotov."

https://twitter.com/KevinRothrock/status/1771333850683064542?s=20

[Storr]

I guess it goes to show how different Western democracies are from dictatorships. The news media (and as a result public opinion) would be all over a US President if they hadn't said a word publicly in the over 7 hours since a major terrorist attack which killed dozens of people.

"Putin’s crisis leadership continues to raise questions about what the hell he does in these moments and why he’s so reluctant to address the nation when he can’t plan it in advance. Deputy PM Tatyana Golikova conveys his get-well wishes to today’s attack victims."

https://twitter.com/KevinRothrock/status/1771339259850428708?s=20

[Storr]

"Putin says all terrorist suspects were apprehended en route for Ukraine, "where early reports indicate that a window had been prepared to cross the international border." Certainly looks like the Kremlin will blame Kyiv, presumably paving the way for more mobilization."

"Based on recent reports, the emerging narrative seems to be that someone (presumably this will be the Ukrainian military) hired recently immigrated Muslim men to carry out yesterday's terrorist attack in Moscow. Ukrainian PSYOP "scammers" have already been blamed for compelling Russians to attack polling stations, draft boards, etc, by stealing their life savings."

https://twitter.com/KevinRothrock/status/1771519170452086954?s=20

[Storr]

"Putin’s full national address today on yesterday’s terrorist attack outside Moscow. I’ve added English-language subtitles"

video here: https://x.com/KevinRothrock/status/1771533012330533189?s=20

[Storr]

Is the point of the lie to further internal public support for the war?  Seems short sighted to me, but I guess being a dictator is almost as hard as being a real leader sometimes.

He has to blame someone, because he can't admit his own government's failings:

"#Putin is trying do what he does best - blaming others for the fact that his and his government incompetence brought suffering and pain to the people of #Russia"

[Storr]

"BREAKING: The Islamic State has published photos of all four attackers who carried out the attack in Moscow, Russia with details about the attack through its official mouthpiece Amaq."

https://x.com/khorasandiary/status/1771516959395299576?s=20

[Storr]

This makes the number of dead more than the 1995 Budyonnovsk hospital hostage crisis and 2002 Nord Ost siege. It's depressing to see such terror happen anywhere: "Death toll from the Moscow concert hall attack is now up to 133, per Russia's Investigative Committee. Rescuers are still pulling bodies from the rubble of the venue."

https://twitter.com/Mike_Eckel/status/1771529533952258474?s=20

[Storr]

"Russia’s Federal Investigative Committee has confirmed the deaths of 137 people in Friday's concert hall terrorist attack outside Moscow. Three of the dead are children. So far, officials have identified only 62 of the bodies."

https://twitter.com/KevinRothrock/status/1771900385004753017?s=20

[Storr]

"Classic Lukashenko. He’s announced that the Crocus Hall gunmen were heading for Ukraine because they realised they couldn’t cross into Belarus… thereby undermining Putin’s story…"

https://twitter.com/sarahrainsford/status/1772607893767967145?s=20

[Storr]

Oops.

"One of the Moscow concert hall attackers’ suspected accomplices evaded FSB agents in a town south of Moscow today. The man, in his late 40s and maybe armed, is now on the lam, but local officials insist that the authorities are on the case. (From now on.)"

https://twitter.com/KevinRothrock/status/1778125520913215893