In a shocking turn of events, Russia is pointing fingers at Ukraine for the devastating terrorist attack that occurred at the Crocus City Hall concert venue in a Moscow suburb. The attack, which claimed the lives of at least 144 concert-goers, has sent shockwaves throughout the nation and raised serious questions about security breaches, intelligence failures, and political complacency.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, known for his calculated tactics, is suspected of allowing the attack to take place in order to leverage it for his own agenda. Speculation suggests that Putin aims to utilize the incident to push for mass mobilization, bolster domestic support for the ongoing Ukraine war, and further suppress opposition to his rule.

The Kremlin's dismissal of US intelligence warnings regarding an imminent attack by "extremists" has raised suspicions that Russia deliberately overlooked these warnings to shift the blame onto a convenient scapegoat: Ukraine. Despite the proximity of a National Guard base merely three kilometers away from the venue, it took over 90 minutes for security forces to respond, raising questions about competence or possible conspiracy.

The roots of the decade-long struggle between Russia and the Islamic State (IS) can be traced back to September 2015 when Russia intervened in Syria, backing the crumbling regime of Bashar al-Assad. In retaliation, IS operatives infiltrated Egypt's Sharm El-Sheikh airport a month later, resulting in the tragic downing of a Russian Airbus that claimed the lives of all 224 passengers and crew.

During this period, Russia reportedly supported various entities that were strongly opposed to IS, such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Taliban. The battles between these groups and IS in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, and Afghanistan became increasingly bitter. Furthermore, the Wagner Group, a paramilitary organization, and its remnants fought against IS in Libya, Mozambique, and Mali.

The recent attack at the Crocus City Hall venue is believed to have been orchestrated by IS-Khorasan (IS-K), a branch of IS primarily active in Afghanistan and Pakistan. IS-K has carried out several notorious attacks against a range of targets, including the suicide bombing in Kabul during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan that resulted in the deaths of 13 American military personnel and at least 169 Afghans.

While IS has been widely despised and faced overwhelming opposition, it has skillfully combined conventional, guerrilla, and terrorist tactics to occupy multiple cities and villages across different regions. In a similar vein, Russia's hybrid-war operations in Crimea and the occupied Donbas in 2014 mirrored some of IS's tactics during its occupation of Raqqa and other cities in 2013.

Russia's history of false-flag operations, notably the Ryazan attack in September 1999, has raised doubts about Putin's involvement in acts of state terrorism for political gains. These incidents have sparked concerns that the Kremlin may be using such tactics to justify escalating military actions in regions like Chechnya and consolidate Putin's power.

Despite Russia's ongoing military campaign in Ukraine, the country has yet to fully achieve its strategic objectives. The loss of manpower and financial resources, coupled with resistance from local populations, has posed significant challenges for Russia's offensive maneuvers. This has led to speculation that the Crocus City Hall attack may have been exploited by Putin to rally public support for the war and quell opposition to his rule.

As investigations continue into the security breaches and intelligence failures surrounding the terrorist attack, the Kremlin seems determined to utilize its extensive propaganda apparatus to divert public anger towards Ukraine. The incident and its aftermath serve as a grim reminder of the immense toll taken by acts of violence and the urgent need for enhanced security measures to protect innocent lives.

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