Russian President Vladimir Putin ignored warnings from the U.S. about a possible terror attack in the nation, referring to them as “blackmail” just days before the Moscow Concert Hall massacre that killed over 130.
Two weeks before Friday’s attack, the U.S. embassy sent out a warning to Americans to “avoid large gatherings,” including concerts, because of “imminent plans” for an attack by “extremists.”
“The Embassy is monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and U.S. citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours,” the alert, released March 7, warned.
Just three days before the attack, Putin responded to the warning, saying, “All this resembles outright blackmail and the intention to intimidate and destabilize our society,” calling the warnings “provocative,” according to Russian news agency TASS.
The State Department confirmed to Fox News that U.S. intelligence had information about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow, which prompted the agency to issue a public advisory to U.S. citizens in Russia. Additionally, this information was shared with Russian authorities in accordance with its longstanding “duty to warn” policy.
On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken put out a statement saying, “The United States strongly condemns (Friday’s) deadly terrorist attack in Moscow. We send our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed and all affected by this heinous crime. We condemn terrorism in all its forms and stand in solidarity with the people of Russia in grieving the loss of life from this horrific event.”
Also on Saturday, Putin addressed the nation in a televised broadcast, slamming the massacre as “a bloody, barbaric terrorist act.” He declared Sun., March 24, a day of mourning.
After Friday’s attack, terrorist group ISIS took credit for the killings, which was corroborated by the U.S.
Several Russian officials, however, have insisted that Ukraine was responsible, and other critics have even questioned the possibility of American terrorism.
“All four direct perpetrators of the terrorist attack, all those who shot and killed people, were found and detained,” Putin said in his Saturday speech. “They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them from the Ukrainian side to cross the state border,” suggesting there may have been a Ukrainian link to the bloodbath.
“Those who provided them with transport, planned escape routes from the crime scene, prepared caches, caches of weapons and ammunition,” Putin said. “It is already obvious that we are faced not just with a carefully and cynically planned terrorist attack, but with the organized mass murder of peaceful, defenseless people. The criminals were cold-blooded and purposefully going to kill, shoot our citizens at point-blank range — our children.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has denied any involvement by his nation.
“Ukraine certainly has nothing to do with the shooting/explosions in the Crocus City Hall (Moscow Region, Russia). It makes no sense whatsoever,” he said on social media, adding, in part, “there is not the slightest doubt that the events in the Moscow suburbs will contribute to a sharp increase in military propaganda, accelerated militarization, expanded mobilization, and, ultimately, the scaling up of the war. And also to justify manifest genocidal strikes against the civilian population of Ukraine.”
