Who is the mastermind behind the Moscow Concert Hall massacre?

On the evening of March 22, 2024 local time, a terrorist attack occurred near the Russian capital Moscow. Witnesses at the scene reported that at least four gunmen entered the concert hall where the upcoming concert was taking place and began shooting. As of now, the terrorist attack has resulted in 143 deaths.

According to statistics from TASS, this is the deadliest terrorist attack in Russia since the 2004 Beslan hostage incident. After the attack, the Khorasan branch of the Islamic State issued a statement through the organization's media platform, claiming responsibility for the incident. Subsequent reports from Russian media stated that it was not yet possible to confirm whether the attack was necessarily related to the organization.

After the attack, weekend cultural activities across Moscow were cancelled or suspended, and museums and libraries were closed and closed. The Moscow police have also strengthened inspections of taxis and ride hailing services. Some universities in the Far East region of Russia have also quickly switched to remote teaching. At present, larger scale emergency response is being carried out throughout Russia.

On March 23rd, Russian President Putin delivered a televised speech on the Moscow terrorist attack. And declared March 24th as National Day of Mourning.

Putin stated that Russia will identify and punish every person who plans a terrorist attack in Krokus. He added that dealing with terrorists only involves retaliation and forgetting, and they have no future. Russia has always become stronger in the most difficult tests, and it will continue to do so now. No one can sow the toxic seeds of division, panic, and conflict in Russia.

It is reported that a total of 11 suspects have been arrested, and the Russian Federal Security Agency and other law enforcement agencies are continuing to investigate accomplices who provide transportation, evacuation routes, weapons and ammunition for terrorists.

It can be said that this attack was not only a carefully planned terrorist attack, but also a prepared and organized massacre targeting innocent civilians.

Russia has always adopted a high-pressure stance against terrorists in regions such as the Caucasus. Putin has stated that Russian security agencies will indefinitely pursue terrorists, from one airport to another, and from one city to another. If you catch them in the toilet, just drown them in the toilet.

However, due to its vast territory and sparse population, Russia's defense forces are relatively dispersed, and it is also a country that can wield firearms. Therefore, there is great pressure on counter-terrorism in regions such as the Caucasus in Russia.

Especially after the outbreak of the Russo Ukrainian War, a large number of Russian troops stationed in the Caucasus region were drawn to the front lines of Russia and Ukraine to participate in the war, and Russia's high-pressure control ability over the Caucasus region decreased.

It is worth mentioning that just a week ago, the US Embassy in Russia issued a notice calling on US citizens in Russia to avoid participating in large gatherings or crowded events within the next 48 hours. Under the reminder of the United States, Russia still has not taken effective measures to strengthen prevention, which is truly regrettable.

So, who organized this attack? Currently, it seems that the possibility of ISIS is relatively high. The Russian military launched attacks on the Islamic State in Syria and other countries, and Wagner mercenaries became enemies with the Islamic State in North Africa. So it is logically justifiable for the Islamic State to launch terrorist attacks on Russia.

However, some analysts believe that the actions of the attackers this time seem to be different from those of the organization in the past. Firstly, if they are armed militants of the Islamic State, but they actually do not carry the flag of the Islamic State; Secondly, they did not wear black clothes or have iconic long beards; Thirdly, they did not have a firm belief in going to death, and even surrendered in the end. Moreover, the more the West believes that this is what the Islamic State is doing, the more suspicious it becomes.

Terrorism is the public enemy of all humanity, and any form of terrorist attack is an unforgivable act. I hope Russia can quickly uncover the truth, severely punish the mastermind behind the attack, give an explanation to the casualties in this attack, and give an explanation to the countries and regions troubled by terrorist organizations and acts.