The Institute for the Study of War believes that the Islamic State (ISIS) is responsible for the terrorist attack in "Crocus City Hall" near Moscow.
Analysts have named the person responsible for the terrorist attack in the Moscow suburbs
As reported in an ISW report, ISIS news agency Amaq said IS fighters attacked a "large gathering of Christians" on the outskirts of Moscow, "killing and wounding hundreds and causing extensive destruction... before they [the attackers] safely retreated to their bases."
The agency later released a blurry image of four militants standing in front of an Islamic State flag, claiming to have carried out the "brutal attack in years". Analysts said the message was consistent in style, branding and language with previous Amaq statements about other attacks.
Analysts suggest that the attack could have been carried out by representatives of the Afghan branch of the Islamic State, IS-Khorasan. This branch has carried out at least four high-profile attacks outside Central Asia in the past 18 months.
It is highly unlikely that IS carried out the attack at the behest of Ukrainian special services, as several Russian sources have claimed. The Amaq news agency is the central media arm of IS. IS will not falsely claim an attack that may have been carried out by one Christian state against another (or by the Kremlin against Russia's own people in some false flag operation) because the consequences of an IS attack at the behest of a predominantly Christian country would damage IS's reputation among Salafi- of the jihadist community, — experts added.
Terror attack in "Crocus City Hall" on March 22. What is known
In the evening of March 22, there was a shooting in the shopping center "Crocus City Hall" near Moscow.
Five unknown people in masks and with weapons broke into the premises and started shooting people who were waiting for the concert of the band "Piknik" to start
According to the latest figures, at least 70 people have died, but this is not the final figure.
According to the representative of the White House, John Kirby, the earlier warning of the US Embassy about the threat of terrorist attacks in Russia is not related to the shooting in the shopping center "Crocus City Hall" near Moscow.
In addition, he emphasized the absence of any signs of Ukraine's involvement in the events in the shopping center near Moscow.
Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, also reacted to the events in the shopping center near Moscow. In particular, he emphasized the non-involvement of the Ukrainian side in this shooting, and pointed to signs of provocation by the Kremlin.
Let us add that Andrii Chernyak, the representative of the GUR Ministry of Defense, stated that the shooting at "Crocus City Hall" was the result of the activities of the terrorist country Russia.
