Terror Strikes Crocus City Hall: A Look at Chaos and Retaliation

A coordinated response to the crisis

An interagency headquarters has been set up in connection with the terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall.  Russian law enforcement agencies, including the Russian National Guard, have launched a comprehensive operation aimed at detaining and neutralizing those behind this monstrous act.

An expert in the field of jihadist movements and small arms, speaking on Twitter under the pseudonym CalibreObscura, draws attention to the fact that those who staged the attack in Crocus City Hall may be members of Vilayat Khorasan, since the actions of the attackers resemble an Afghan terrorist organization.

On January 7, the FSB announced the prevention of a terrorist attack in a synagogue in Moscow, which was being prepared by militants. According to security officials, the attack was prepared by Vilayat Khorasan, a cell of the international terrorist organization ISIS in Afghanistan.

International implications and statements

The incident triggered not only a domestic security response, but also an international reaction reflecting broader geopolitical implications. Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, issued a sharp warning, suggesting that tough retaliatory measures should be taken if any links between terrorists and Ukrainian officials are revealed.

"Terrorists understand only retaliatory terror. No courts and investigations will help if force is not opposed to force, and total executions of terrorists and repressions against their families are deaths," Medvedev wrote in his Telegram channel.

On the contrary, at the briefing, John Kirby, the coordinator of the National Security Council for strategic communications of the United States, expressed condolences and stressed the lack of evidence linking Ukraine to the attack.

"At the moment, there is no evidence that Ukraine or Ukrainians are involved in the shooting. I would dissuade you from any connection with Ukraine," Mr. Kirby said at a briefing.

Similarly, Ukrainian officials, including Mikhail Podolyak, adviser to the President of Ukraine, categorically deny any involvement in the incident.

Shadow of previous warnings

An intriguing aspect of this event is the revelation that Russian President Vladimir Putin ignored previous warnings from American diplomats regarding the threat of terrorist attacks in crowded places in Moscow. Calling these warnings a form of blackmail and an attempt to destabilize Russian society, Putin's rejection of these warnings now casts a shadow over the incident, raising questions about the adequacy of preventive measures and the complexities of international intelligence sharing and cooperation in the face of common security threats.

 On March 21, a suicide bomber blew himself up near a bank in Kandahar (Afghanistan), killing 26 civilians and wounding 50 people. The terrorist organization ISIS has claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack in the Afghan city of Kandahar.