Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the tragic concert attack at Crocus City Hall outside Moscow on Monday, attributing the incident to Islamic militants. Speaking at a meeting with law enforcement officials, Putin acknowledged that Islamic extremists were responsible but also raised questions about potential Ukrainian involvement.
\"The United States, through various channels, is trying to convince everyone that there is supposedly no trace of Kyiv in the bloody terrorist attack at Crocus and that it is the banned Islamic State,\" Putin stated, according to Russia's TASS news agency.
Despite these claims, Putin emphasized the need for a thorough investigation to uncover who ordered the attack. \"It is necessary to obtain answers to a number of questions, for example, are radical, even terrorist, Islamic organizations really interested in striking Russia, which today stands for a fair solution to the escalating Middle East conflict,\" he said.
He further questioned the motives behind the attack, asking, \"Why did the terrorists, after committing the crime, try to head exactly to Ukraine? Who was waiting for them there?\"
The Russian Investigative Committee, led by Alexander Bastrykin, reported that the death toll from the attack has risen to 139, with 182 people injured as of Monday.
Putin described the attack as an act of intimidation and suggested that identifying the beneficiaries of this tragedy is crucial. He called for the investigation to be conducted professionally, objectively, and without political bias, despite the widespread desire to punish the perpetrators.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
