Terrorist attack near Moscow had no linkage to Ukraine – White House

John Kirby, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House, has dismissed Russia's allegations that the terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue in Moscow Oblast was linked to Ukraine, describing them as Kremlin propaganda.

Source: European Pravda with reference to Ukrinform

Details: Kirby said that the attack in Russia's Moscow Oblast had "no linkage to Ukraine". "This was an attack carried out by ISIS-Khorasan operatives, period," he added at a telephone briefing with journalists on 25 March.

The White House representative said he was not surprised to see the Kremlin spreading allegations that Ukrainian services were involved in the attack.

"This is just another manifestation of Kremlin propaganda. It's all they can do to try to connect it to what they're doing in Ukraine, to try to find some kind of justification for their ongoing violence and looting," Kirby said.

He also reiterated that the United States had warned the Russian authorities in advance of ISIS's plans for a terrorist attack.

Background: Last Friday, 22 March, a group of armed men opened fire with assault rifles in a concert hall in Krasnogorsk. The Islamic State-Khorasan terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attack, in which at least 137 people were killed.

Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron described Russia's attempts to link the terrorist attack to Ukraine as cynical. Czech President Petr Pavel called for the investigation not to be used for political purposes.

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