Putin links Ukraine to Moscow massacre without evidence
The suspected gunmen “tried to hide and moved toward Ukraine,” Russian president says in televised address. Kyiv denies any involvement.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Saturday suggested that terrorists who killed at least 133 people in Friday night’s attack at a Moscow concert hall were helped by someone based in Ukraine, without providing evidence.
Ukrainian officials have denied any involvement in the massacre, for which Islamic State has claimed responsibility. It was one of the deadliest attacks on Russian soil in recent years.
Putin said 11 people have been detained in the killings, including the four gunmen. “They tried to hide and moved toward Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them on the Ukrainian side to cross the border,” Putin said in a speech on Russian television Saturday.
Putin's government was warned weeks in advance and dropped the ball badly. Now they need to turn bad press into useful press by placing blame on Ukraine so Russia stays focused on that war. I sincerely doubt they have the military power available to start meaningful reprisals against Islamic State in Afghanistan.
Putin ran a false flag terrorist operation to get into power in the first place. Attempting to redirect the blame for an actual terrorist attack (assuming, of course, it’s not just another false flag) would genuinely be less extreme - and, in point of fact, the 1999 apartment bombings had like 3x the death and injury counts that this attack had.
I'm not saying they dropped the ball on purpose but they obviously had some knowledge about it. Though authoritarian regimes don't tend to be good at security either way. They're good at oppression, but that's not the same thing.
Wouldn't potential reprisals happen in Syria?
I don't know - it's possible as I've heard of Islamic State being linked to several nations. However, OP's article mentions Afghanistan specifically:
"A U.S. intelligence official told The Associated Press that U.S. intelligence agencies had learned the group’s branch in Afghanistan was planning an attack in Moscow and shared the information with Russian officials."
Good point
Syria, or more precisely supporting Assad to ensure they keep their port, is why Russia is in ISIS' crosshairs. Why wouldn't ISIS strike in Moscow if they get the chance?