US Says IS Responsible for Moscow Terror, Unrelated to Ukraine

Russia, Possibility of Connection to Ukraine Raised

As Russia pointed to Ukraine as the mastermind behind the Moscow terror attack, the United States and Ukraine moved to block such allegations. The Islamic extremist armed group Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack.

On the 23rd (local time), an image mourning the victims of the Moscow terror attack appeared on an electronic billboard on the streets of Saint Petersburg, Russia. [Image source=Xinhua News Agency]

According to Reuters, on the 22nd (local time), a shooting and arson terror attack occurred at a large concert hall in northwest Moscow. Adrian Watson, spokesperson for the U.S. White House National Security Council (NSC), stated, "The responsibility for this attack lies entirely with IS," adding, "Ukraine was not involved at all."

As the Russia-Ukraine war prolongs, the U.S., which supports Ukraine, is working to prevent the spread of such allegations to mitigate the war's impact. White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre also condemned IS in a separate statement, calling it "a common enemy that must be defeated everywhere."

Russia believes Ukraine is connected to this terror attack. On the 23rd, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested key suspects in the attack and claimed, "The suspects fled by car after the crime and tried to cross the Russia-Ukraine border," adding, "They had contact with Ukrainian side."

Ukraine strongly denied these suspicions. President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized on Telegram that night, saying, "President Putin remained silent for a day and then came up with a way to shift the blame to Ukraine instead of dealing with Russian citizens over this incident," calling it "all blatantly predictable."

According to the British Telegraph, this terror attack could be both a risk and an opportunity for President Putin. Although the promise to guarantee safety to his citizens was damaged by this attack, there is an assessment that by blaming Ukraine, he can divert criticism outward and use this as an opportunity to urge his citizens to participate in the Ukraine war.

IS claims responsibility for this terror attack. On the 23rd, IS released photos of four suspects who led the attack. In the photos, four men wearing black baseball caps and balaclavas covering their faces are pointing one finger to the sky, a gesture symbolizing IS.

According to the British The Times, among the 11 people arrested by Russian authorities?including four key terror suspects and seven accomplices?some are Tajikistan nationals. The media reported that the accomplices may have helped hide weapons in advance by working in cleaning or management roles at Crocus City Hall.

So far, Russian authorities have announced 133 deaths. As the search for bodies continues and many survivors remain in critical condition, the death toll is expected to rise.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.