The tragic attack on the Moscow concert hall has sparked concerns about the potential ramifications of the incident in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In a statement to Express.co.uk, Director of Forward Strategy, Dr Stepan Stepanenko highlighted the implications of the attack and its possible exploitation by President Putin.
The expert warned that Putin may take advantage of the horrific incident and attempt to speed up further mobilisation to aid the war effort.
He said: “The absence of a national address by President Putin in the aftermath, a departure from expected protocol following such significant events, lends an unusual credence to the ISIS claim.
“If ISIS indeed orchestrated this attack, it underscores a glaring vulnerability within Russia’s security apparatus, indicating an inability to defend against asymmetric warfare tactics, even within its own borders. This is a stark reminder of Putin’s singular focus on perceived threats from the West, to the neglect of other potential adversaries.”
He added: “Putin’s previous overtures towards radical groups, exemplified by his dealings with Hamas, have not yielded the intended diplomatic leverage with Islamic radicals. This isolation, coupled with a failure to anticipate or counteract threats from such groups, suggests a strategic myopia that could have dire consequences for Russian security.”
Dr Stepanenko also warned: “It is plausible to anticipate that Putin will seize upon this crisis as a pretext to hasten further mobilisation within Russia, potentially surpassing the anticipated enlistment of over 100,000 men. This scenario gains a grim momentum in light of the recent missile attacks on Ukraine – a stark testament to the West’s lamentable inertia and Ukraine’s acute shortfall in air defence capabilities. These assaults have tragically culminated in the loss and injury of hundreds over the past week.”
“Given the prevailing trends, such aggressive tactics are expected not only to persist but to escalate with formidable intensity. This strategic manipulation of a national tragedy to justify military expansionism underlines the Kremlin’s relentless pursuit of its geopolitical agenda, irrespective of the human cost,” Stepanenko concluded.
Additionally, a Ukrainian diplomatic source raised concerns about Putin’s actions, telling Express.co.uk: “Putin kills Ukrainians every day with rocket strikes on Ukrainian cities. Terror against Ukraine continues. You can’t turn a blind eye to this. Staying focused is important.”
The source stressed: “The terrorist attack in the suburbs of Moscow emphasised that Putin will kill Russians in the same way as he kills Ukrainians if he deems it necessary. Russia is one of the pillars of world terrorism. Terror is Putin’s tool. This should be remembered even when Russians become victims of terror.”
As the death toll in the Moscow concert hall attack rose to 133, with many more wounded, the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan branch claimed responsibility for the attack.
On Saturday, Putin announced the detention of individuals involved in the attack, linking them to Ukraine, a claim strongly denied by Ukrainian authorities.
The incident has heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine, with accusations of manipulation and exploitation of the tragedy for political purposes.
Ukraine has strongly denied any involvement with the attack.
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