Highlights: In Russia, the death toll from the attack claimed by the Islamic State group stands at 60 dead and 115 injured. In the early evening of March 22, armed men entered a concert hall located in the suburbs of Moscow. They opened fire before a fire spread over nearly 13,000 m². Emilia Koustova: Whoever the real perpetrators are, this attack will certainly be exploited by the Russian authorities. Russia, which is already mobilized externally in Ukraine, is now targeted internally.

INTERVIEW

Attack in Russia: “For Moscow, Ukraine is an obvious and ideal suspect”

In Russia, the death toll from the attack claimed by the Islamic State group stands at 60 dead and 115 injured. It could still increase according to the authorities who say they are still looking for the attackers. In the early evening of March 22, armed men entered a concert hall located in the suburbs of Moscow. They opened fire before a fire spread over nearly 13,000 m². Interview with Emilia Koustova, professor of Russian history at the University of Strasbourg.

Ambulances are parked outside the burning Crocus City Hall concert venue following a shooting, west of Moscow, March 22, 2024. © Yulia Morozova/Reuters

By: Mayeule de Charon

RFI: This Saturday morning, no Russian media mentioned this claim from the Islamic State group, but rather the trail of Russian volunteers engaged alongside Ukraine. How do you analyze it?

Emilia Koustova:

Whoever the real perpetrators are,

this attack

will certainly be exploited by the Russian authorities. It was already there from the first minutes last night [March 22, Editor's note]. Obviously, Ukraine, or the volunteer corps of Russians fighting on the side of the Ukrainians, are obvious and ideal suspects for the Russian authorities. This would make it possible to use the terrorist act to mobilize or remobilize Russian society against

Ukraine

. But perhaps also seek to influence international public opinion, to weaken Western support for Ukraine.

Russia, which is already mobilized externally in Ukraine, is now targeted internally. Does this show a security flaw in Vladimir Putin's policy?

Every terrorist act partly reveals a flaw. This is all the more striking in a state like

Russia

which is a police state, under surveillance, where an inscription on a label in a store or a

post

on a social network can lead to imprisonment. We were struck by the images we saw last night at the scene of the tragedy, while the fire continued. For example, in a group of journalists, one of them was violently beaten by a police officer. We do not know why. We see that the Russian police are very well trained to beat up, arrest and follow opponents or journalists. It turns out to be much less effective against terrorist acts.

What could be the reaction of the Russian authorities to this attack

For the moment,

Vladimir Putin

remains in the background. We immediately got the information that he would be informed of what was happening, but he did not want to speak. Above all, he allowed characters to speak, some of whom are important, such as the spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or certain deputies and senators who are much less central. And these are the people who have put forward the thesis of Ukrainian involvement, while Putin keeps a distance. This has often been the case in the face of any tragedy of this type, where he mainly sent those around him to the front line, but always kept this distance so as not to be directly accused of any fault, any dysfunction and to be able to remain unreachable. by critics.

Attack in Russia: “For Moscow, Ukraine is an obvious and ideal suspect”

Attack in Russia: “For Moscow, Ukraine is an obvious and ideal suspect”

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