Putin: "Terrorism is the act of 'Radical Islam'"... 15-Year-Old Hero Who Saved Over 100 Lives Also 'Islam'

Putin Acknowledges IS Terror, Claims Ukraine Behind It
Immigrant Boy Who Saved 100 Wins Top Muslim Award
20 Million Russian Muslims... Authorities Also Concerned

On the 25th (local time), Islam Khalilov (15, center), who saved over 100 lives at the Moscow terror site, is taking a commemorative photo with the first team players of the Russian professional football club Spartak Moscow.
[Image source=X (formerly Twitter)]

Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that the Moscow terror attack was carried out by radical Islamists and alleged that Ukraine was behind them. He did not directly mention the Islamic State (IS), which Western intelligence agencies including the U.S. have identified as responsible for the attack, instead distinguishing between radical Islamism and Islam. This statement is interpreted as an attempt to avoid exacerbating religious conflicts amid growing anti-Islam sentiment within Russia. The Kyrgyz immigrant boy, who is reported to have saved about 100 lives during the Moscow attack, is also known to be a Muslim. Russian authorities are expected to face deeper challenges in responding to Islam going forward.

Putin: "Radical Islamists Responsible, but Ukraine Behind It"

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

According to TASS news agency on the 25th (local time), President Putin chaired a counterterrorism meeting regarding the terror attack at the Crocus City Hall concert venue on the outskirts of Moscow on the 22nd, stating, "We know that this crime was committed by radical Islamists who have ideologically fought against the Islamic world for centuries," and added, "We know who committed the crime, but now we need to know who ordered it."

He continued, "We need to find out why the terrorists tried to flee to Ukraine and who was waiting for them there," emphasizing, "We must answer many questions about whether the radical Islamists truly intended to attack Russia." Although he did not directly mention IS, he acknowledged that the attack was carried out by an Islamist extremist armed group while maintaining the claim that Ukraine was behind it.

Despite the growing anti-Islam sentiment within Russia, President Putin has minimized negative remarks about Islam and instead continued to assert the theory of Ukrainian involvement, sparking controversy. Some analysts suggest that Putin may be using this terror attack as a tool for incitement.

The British newspaper The Guardian pointed out, "Although the main suspects in this attack have been revealed to be from Tajikistan, where IS recruits many members, President Putin and Russian state media continue to repeat the unsubstantiated claim that Ukraine is behind it," adding, "This is to cover up the security failures of Russian authorities and to avoid highlighting conflicts with Muslims, which have relatively quieted down within Russia."

15-Year-Old Boy 'Islam' Emerges as Hero at Terror Scene... Receives 'Best Muslim Award'

The Central Asian Muslim boy who saved many lives during the Moscow terror attack is also being hailed as a hero at the terror scene. Islam Khalilov, a 15-year-old part-time worker at the concert venue where the attack occurred, is reported to have saved about 100 lives during the incident.

According to The Moscow Times, he is a second-generation immigrant born to parents who migrated from Kyrgyzstan to Russia. At the time of the attack, he was working in the coat check area of the Crocus City Hall concert venue in Moscow. He is praised as a hero for guiding about 100 audience members to emergency exits and helping them evacuate safely to another building.

Russian professional football club Spartak Moscow invited him to their home stadium to meet first-team players and gifted him a season ticket and uniform. Additionally, Russian rapper Morgenstern presented him with 1 million rubles (approximately 14 million KRW) as a token of gratitude. Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin, a leader of Muslims in Russia, announced that he would award Islam Khalilov the 'Best Muslim Award.'

20 Million Muslims in Russia... Difficult to Change Tolerance Policies

On the 25th (local time), the Moscow terror suspect is awaiting judgment at a Russian court.
[Image source=TASS·Yonhap News]

The reason the Putin administration is trying to curb anti-Islam sentiment as much as possible is interpreted as a political gesture conscious of the Muslim population living throughout Russia. According to the Associated Press, out of Russia’s approximately 140 million people, about 20 million are Muslims. Russia has the largest Muslim population in Europe. Since taking office, President Putin has consistently emphasized that "Russia is a multiethnic and multireligious country," and has implemented various tolerance policies especially toward Islam.

Since his administration began, Russia has established deep diplomatic relations with Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Syria. Ramzan Kadyrov, the Chechen rebel leader known as one of Putin’s closest allies, is also a Muslim. Considering the Putin administration’s stance, even if anti-Islam sentiment among Russian citizens intensifies due to this terror attack, it is expected that the Russian government’s tolerance policies toward Islam will not easily change.

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