MARCH 23, 2024 NATYLIESB LEAVE A COMMENT
Read Putin’s address to the citizens of Russia on the
terrorist attack here.
The Bell, 3/23/24
The biggest terrorist attack in Moscow for 20 years
A group of armed people killed at least 115 people
Friday in an attack on a shopping and entertainment
center in Moscow – the most deadly terrorist incident in
the Russian capital in two decades. Amid the war in
Ukraine, Russia’s response is very difficult to predict.
[Note: Both Euronews and RT a the time of this posting
are reporting 133 dead. – Natylie]
The attack began about 8 p.m. in Crocus City Hall, which
includes one of Moscow’s biggest concert halls (seating
about 6,200 people). Five well-armed people in
camouflage entered the hall just before the start of a
sold-out performance, shooting the security guards, and
then those present in the room. According to officials,
at least 150 people were killed and hundreds more
injured. A large fire began at about this time, as a
result of which part of the roof of the hall collapsed.
Initially, there were reports that the attackers had
remained in the building, but, at about midnight, the
police announced they had begun a search for the
culprits. On Saturday, the Federal Security Service
(FSB) said that the four terrorists were detained in th
western Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine. Russian
state media posted videos of their interrogations; one
of the attackers said that he was offered to carry out
the shooting by a “preacher’s assistant” on messaging
app Telegram, and was promised 1 million rubles
($11,000) as a reward.
All the recent developments (especially the fact that
the shooters were offered a money reward) and the tone
of the propaganda, suggests that the Russian official
version will inevitably focus on blaming Ukraine.
The political backdrop is extremely concerning.
President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said
Thursday for the first time that Russia is waging a
“war” in Ukraine – not a “special military operation,”
which has been the preferred official term for more than
two years, And the day before, Defense Minister Sergei
Shoigu announced plans to establish three new armies –
sparking speculation about another round of mobilization
to raise the soldiers to man them.
Why the world should care
Such a brazen attack in the heart of Moscow could
potentially be used by the Kremlin to justify another
escalation in Ukraine, or another wave of mobilization.
However, Russian officials stopped short of blaming
Ukraine on Friday evening. We will look at the attack
and its fallout in more detail in our following
newsletters.
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