Eurasia note #88: Moscow Theatre Attack; War Enters New Phase

Parallel with Chechnya terror of early 2000s is no accident

• At least 60 killed at Crocus City expo centre in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region.

• Why now, with the world’s eyes on Israel's actions in Gaza?

• Russia is sceptical of claims that ISIS is responsible

• War by way of deception provokes Russia without seeing the hand

• Does Israel broaden war, NATO provoke Russia, Ukraine take revenge?

• Obama delivered a personal message to Downing Street this week

• Warmongers in Warsaw, Paris and Berlin would love Moscow to suspect Kyiv

• Attack stokes memories of the bloody era just after Putin came to power

• Nord-Ost theatre, 2002; Beslan school siege, 2004, blamed on Chechen terrorists

• NATO knew Ukraine could not win — and always planned a war of terror

• This can get bloody: NATO’s Operation Gladio was waged against own citizens

• Washington claims it warned Moscow “weeks before” attacks

See also:
Ukraine May Meet Its Gladio - Insurgents may drag Russia into a version of Italy's 'Years of Lead' (MC Mar 09, 2022)

(2,400 words or 11 minutes)

Mar 23, 2024

The bombing in Russia is designed to reopen a wound... to evoke painful memories of the Nord-Ost theatre shootings in 2002 and the Beslan school siege two years later.

Those were linked to terrorists from the North Caucasus — so whoever attacked the Crocus City concert is seeking to frame it as “Islamic extremists.”

This is war by way of deception. It provokes Russia without revealing the hand. It is a sucker punch, the blow that comes out of nowhere: a slam to the head from behind that is cowardly and designed to disorient the victim.

Let the misdirection begin

Is it revenge for Russia’s defence of the Syrian state? Is it linked to the Israeli politician who threatened that Russia would pay for not condemning Hamas? Warmongers in Warsaw, Paris and Berlin would be happy if Moscow suspects the hand of Kyiv.

On Mar 15 the leaders of Germany, France and Poland met in Berlin to resolve differences over their next step in Ukraine. Pepe Escobar claims the three countries have sent troops by rail and air to Cherkassy, south of Kyiv.

This week Obama visited Downing Street, prompting us to ask, what would be so sensitive that a former president should deliver a message in person on Mar 18.

The very framing of ISIS as the perpetrator (invented or not) is a reminder that the threat is borderless — it is a warning that won't be lost on Americans.

It aligns with threats that foreign intel and/or Ukraine will strike deep into Russia. As if to confirm the above, The New York Times (NYT) is saying that U.S. intel knew in advance about the planned attack.

"The United States collected intelligence in March that Islamic State-Khorasan, known as ISIS-K, the branch of the group based in Afghanistan, had been planning an attack on Moscow, according to officials. ISIS members have been active in Russia, one U.S. official said."

Russian media is sceptical of claims about ISIS, especially since Moscow had earlier on Friday asked Washington to explain why the US embassy in Moscow issued an alert earlier this month for all US nationals to avoid public venues.

Israeli threat

Do you remember the Israeli politician who said Russia will pay?

Two weeks ago a Hamas delegation visited Moscow, as part of talks with Palestinian factions.

In October, Amir Weitmann, the head of the libertarian caucus in Israel's ruling Likud Party, accused Russia of supporting Hamas.

Weitmann’s interview on RT on Oct. 19, began with the host discussing the “attack on Al-Ahli Hospital” in the Gaza Strip. Weitmann interjected, emphatically emphasizing that it was not an Israeli attack but rather “Palestinian terrorist propaganda.”

“I understand you’re on the Russian payroll, and I understand this is Russian propaganda. But you have to be very careful, because, let me tell you, we’re going to finish this war. We’re going to win because we’re stronger.”

“After this, Russia will pay the price. Believe me, Russia will pay,” he said.

Finger puppets

It's not the time for jokes as families mourn loved ones. But it's hard to speak of ISIS without sniggering.

Only the darkest cynic would claim that ISIS is genuine and yet it worries about Russia than Israel... choosing the moment when Palestinians are being shot and starved to have a pop at Moscow.

ISIS al-Qaeda are not allies of the Palestinians, however, as Eva Bartlett pointed out yesterday. They care nothing for Palestine; they serve the purpose of Israel and NATO.

ISIS is a finger puppet of NATO/Israel as you can read in the Israeli press, here and here. [1]

For years the U.S. said it was hunting down ISIS in Syria: "We seek them high, we seek them low." President Vladimir Putin said, "Let's give you a helping hand," and sent jets to bomb ISIS oil convoys. Uncle Sam didn't like that, and never forgave Putin.

Russian media discounts ISIS claims of responsibility but even if true, it raises more questions: Why now, with the world’s eyes on Israel's actions in Gaza?

What does that tell us about the "ISIS attack" on Moscow? The Western narrative is going to be that Putin is paying for his intervention in Syria in support of Assad.

As in 2002/2004, when the north Caucasus, including Chechnya, was being stoked by Western intel, the Krasnogorsk attack serves Western interests. Above all this takes war from Ukraine firmly into Russia.

Theatre massacre

Gunmen attacked a concert venue in Moscow's Crocus City expo centre in Krasnogorsk, on the Moscow ring road.

A pop concert by a group named Picnic was about to start. About five men killed security guards at the entrance to the hall, before shooting concertgoers at almost point-blank range.

Later there was an explosion in the building, starting a fire, collapsing part of the roof. The venue holds about 7,000 people.

The attack stokes memories of the bloody era just after Putin came to power
that consumed Moscow's energies for half a decade.

The attack most clearly resembles the 2002 Moscow theatre hostage crisis (also known as the Nord-Ost siege) when the Dubrovka Theatre was attacked by Chechen terrorists on Oct 23 2002, taking 850 hostages and ending with Russian security services pumping gas into the theatre and the death of 172 people.

Also the Beslan school siege of Sep 1 2004, which lasted three days, involved more than 1,100 people as hostages (including 777 children) and ended with the deaths of 334 people.

ISIS had not yet been announced — the West would do that in 2014 when it invaded Syria. But the al-Qaeda model had been rolled out from Afghanistan, across to the 'stans of the North Caucasus and across to the Levant.

Ukraine’s Gladio

The Moscow attack also aligns with what we wrote exactly two years ago: Ukraine May Meet Its Gladio - Insurgents may drag Russia into a version of Italy's 'Years of Lead' (MC Mar 09, 2022)

NATO may have known from the beginning that Ukraine would not win against Russia because it was already planning a long-running war of terror.