Vladimir Putin he appears again in front of the nation, a few days after the election that crowned him Tsar of all the Russias. This time, however, his face is serious and perhaps worried. Yesterday a group of four terrorists opened fire on defenseless civilians who, on the outskirts of Moscow, were heading to a concert at the Crocus. At least 143 people died, but the building was set on fire and partially collapsed. The number of deaths is expected to rise.
The president speaks of a “barbaric” attack. He denounces an action “similar to those of the Nazis”, in which “criminals moved in cold blood to kill and shoot Russians at point blank range”. And he assures that all those responsible will be found and punished: “All the authors, organizers and those who commissioned this crime will receive a deserved and inevitable punishment – says Putin – whoever they are and regardless of whether they were sent. They face an unenviable fate: punishment and oblivion.” The president must show a strong fist, he promises revenge: “I repeat, we will identify and punish all those behind the terrorists, who prepared this crime. This is a serious blow to Russia.”
For now, ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack, and the United States also considers the incident credible. In recent days, a warning had arrived from Western intelligence, but the Kremlin seems to have ignored the alert even if Russian intelligence sources make it known that these were generic and not specific indications.
The whole world condemned the attack, including the Born that – whatever Putin's faults in Ukraine – nothing justifies a deliberate attack on Russian civilians. The fear is that the attack could increase pressure on Kiev, which since last night has repeatedly denied having had a role in the operation. The Kremlin, however, is fanning the flames: “All four direct perpetrators of the terrorist attack – says Putin, who found out about it from the FSB – were trying to hide and they were heading towards Ukraine, where, according to initial investigations, an opening had been set up on the Ukrainian side to cross the border.” In total 11 people were arrested.
In the video message, Putin also asked Russians to “stay united”. “Nothing and no one will be able to break the unity, strength and courage” of the Russians, no one “will be able to spread poisonous seeds of discord and panic”. In the meantime, however, the Kremlin “impatiently” asks for the cooperation of all states in the fight against international terrorism. Who will answer?
Below is the full translation of Putin's speech to the Russians:
I cannot ignore the help of ordinary citizens who, in the first minutes after the tragedy, did not remain indifferent and indifferent and, together with doctors and security officers, provided first aid and delivered the victims to hospitals.
In Moscow and the Moscow region, in all regions of the country, additional measures have been introduced anti Terrorism and anti-sabotage. The most important thing now is to prevent those behind this bloodbath from committing a new crime.
Regarding the investigation into this crime and the results of operational investigative actions, at present the following can be said. All four direct perpetrators of the terrorist attack, all those who shot and killed people, have been found and arrested. They tried to hide and headed towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window for crossing the state border was prepared on the Ukrainian side. A total of 11 people were arrested. The Russian Federal Security Service and other law enforcement agencies are working to identify and uncover the entire accomplice base of terrorists: those who provided them with transportation, outlined escape routes from the crime scene, prepared depots, depots of weapons and ammunition.
I repeat: the investigative bodies and the police will do everything to establish all the details of the crime. But it is already clear that we are faced with not only a terrorist attack carefully and cynically plannedbut also ad a mass extermination prepared and organized of peaceful and defenseless people. The criminals decided with calm and determination to kill, to shoot at point blank range on our citizens, on our children. Just as the Nazis once carried out massacres in the occupied territories, so they decided to stage an execution show, a bloody act of intimidation.
All authors, organizers and instigators of this crime will suffer just and inevitable punishment. Whoever they are, whoever leads them. I repeat: we will identify and punish all those who are behind the terrorists, who prepared this atrocity, this attack on Russia, on our people. We know what the threat of terrorism is. Here we count on interaction with all States that sincerely share our pain and are ready to effectively join forces in the fight against a common enemy, international terrorism, with all its manifestations.
The terrorists, the murderers and non-human beings who do not and cannot have a nationality face an unenviable fate: punishment and oblivion. They have no future. Our common duty now, our comrades at the front, all citizens of the country is to stand together in one formation. I believe it will be like this, because nothing and no one will be able to shake our unity and will, our determination and courage, the strength of the united Russian people. No one will be able to sow poisonous seeds of discord, panic and discord in our multi-ethnic society.
Russia has repeatedly gone through difficult, sometimes unbearable trials, but has become even stronger. It will be like this now too.