According to a report from Bloomberg, President Vladimir Putin’s claims that Ukraine may be linked to the recent terror attack in Moscow are being disputed by many Kremlin insiders.
According to insiders, although Putin and some of his supporters still publicly advocate for Ukraine’s involvement in the attack, there is little support for this theory among influential figures in Moscow’s business and political circles.
In his address to the nation, Putin claimed that Ukraine had facilitated the attackers’ escape by providing them with an exit route at its border.
On Monday, Putin shifted the blame for the attack to ISIS-K, but still hinted at a possible Ukrainian connection.
Even Belarusian President Alexandr Lukashenko, a close ally, contradicted Putin’s narrative by stating that the suspects initially attempted to enter his country.
According to the state-run Belarusian Telegraph Agency, he stated that they had no opportunity to enter Belarus. Consequently, they had to change direction and make their way towards the Ukraine-Russia border.
Bloomberg reports that Putin has been facing doubts from his inner circle.
According to an individual familiar with the matter, the outlet reported that Putin participated in a meeting where officials unanimously concluded that Ukraine had no involvement in the attack.
According to reports, the person claimed that Putin was dedicated to the notion that it would assist in rallying support for the war in that area.
Supporters of Putin have persistently put forward this theory without providing any substantiating evidence.
According to a report by Reuters, Alexander Bortnikov, the director of Russia’s FSB security service, stated on television that he believes Islamist radicals receive assistance from Western special services. He further added that the special services of Ukraine are directly involved in this matter.
According to Andrei Soldatov, a renowned expert on the FSB and Russian intelligence, he revealed to Bloomberg that although Russia’s security services are aware that the attack was carried out by the Islamic State, they are compelled to comply with Putin’s directives and provide evidence of Ukrainian or Western involvement.
