As of: March 29, 2024, 8:50 a.m
By: Nail Akkoyun
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Press
Split
According to Vladimir Putin, the attackers from Moscow wanted to flee to Ukraine after the attack. His ally Lukashenko, of all people, is now raising doubts about this statement.
Minsk/Moscow – After the terrorist attack on a concert hall near Moscow, people in Russia are still trying to blame both Ukraine and the West. Despite warnings from the USA about a possible attack and several claims of responsibility by the “Islamic State” (IS), the Kremlin tried to establish connections with Kiev. This also applies to the Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko, who got caught up in his story and thereby inadvertently exonerated Ukraine.
After attack near Moscow: Putin ally Lukashenko torpedoes Ukraine claim
According to Lukashenko's statement, the attackers may have wanted to flee to his country after the attack on the Crocus City Hall near Moscow. When it became known last Friday that the perpetrators drove a car into the Russian region of Bryansk, which borders Belarus, security precautions were also taken on the neighboring country's side.
“That’s why they couldn’t get to Belarus. They saw that. That's why they turned around and drove towards the Ukrainian-Russian border,” Lukashenko was quoted as saying by the Belarusian state agency
Belta
. In addition to Belarus, Bryansk also borders Ukraine, against which Russia has been waging war for two years. The problem: the claim torpedoes the Russian narrative, according to which the Ukrainians had already prepared a loophole for the attackers. A story that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally spread.
Left: The Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow is in flames after the attack. Right: Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko. © Sergei Vedyashkin/Moscow News Agency/AP/dpa Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP (collage)
Shortly after the attack, in which at least 139 people were killed, Putin said in a speech on Saturday that the attackers wanted to flee to Ukraine, where a "window" for their escape had already been prepared in advance. The Ukrainian leadership vehemently rejected this. Although the terrorist militia “Islamic State” has already claimed responsibility for the attack several times and experts classify the letters of responsibility as credible, Russian representatives insist on alleged Ukrainian involvement. They did not provide any evidence of this.
Despite IS confession: Putin confidant Patrushev sticks to Ukraine claim
On Tuesday, the secretary of Russia's National Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, responded to a press question about the masterminds by saying that "of course Ukraine" was behind all this. However, the 72-year-old hardliner did not explain how he came to this assessment of the attack near Moscow. A little later, Patrushev backtracked a little and told a Russian television reporter about alleged Ukrainian involvement: “There are many indications of that.” But he also admitted that the investigation was still ongoing and the result remained to be seen.
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Putin only confirmed on Monday that the attack on Crocus City Hall was carried out by Islamist terrorists. Nevertheless, as he did at the weekend, he made it clear that he sees a Ukrainian trace. Now he is counting on the Russian Prosecutor General's Office to do everything to ensure that the criminals receive a fair punishment, as Russian law requires.
(nak/dpa)