Moscow blames Ukraine, U.S. for terrorists’ attack on music hall

Kremlin leaders on Wednesday continued to imply that Ukraine and the West bear blame for the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall near Moscow last Friday. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova questioned how the United States ruled out Ukraine as a suspect. “Based on what data?” she asked. Zakharova then alleged the West “began to excuse the Kyiv regime in order to excuse themselves.” An Islamic State group affiliate claimed the attack, which killed at least 137 people. Four men were charged on Sunday in connection to the massacre. Zakharova claimed, “It is the Western countries who are behind the Islamic State group,” alleging the West also “turned the Kyiv regime into a terrorist one.”

Has the United States responded to Russia’s veiled accusations? State Department spokesman Matthew Miller on Wednesday addressed the Kremlin’s accusations saying, “The Russian government knows that the claims are categorically false.” The United States warned Russia of an attack threat, specifically mentioning concerts two weeks before the shooting took place. “These comments from multiple Kremlin officials are irresponsible,” Miller said. “It’s just another example of President Putin and the rest of his team exploiting a national tragedy to try to justify the illegal war against Ukraine.”

Dig deeper: Read Jill Nelson’s report in WORLD Magazine about whether Russian opposition movements can survive beyond their borders.