International
The head of Russian security accuses Ukraine and the West of being involved in the Moscow attack
The head of the Federal Security Service (FSB), Alexandr Bórtnikov, today accused Ukraine of having participated “directly” and the West of being involved in the terrorist attack committed on Friday against a concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow, which was claimed by the Islamic State.
“We believe that the act was prepared by radical Islamists and, naturally, the Western secret services contributed to it,” Bórtnikov told local agencies, who added that the intelligence services of Ukraine had a “direct relationship” with the attack.
While he admitted that Moscow has not yet been able to establish for sure the identity of those who commissioned the attack, he pointed out that “we broadly believe that they are involved in it,” when answering a question about Kiev’s responsibility.
The head of the FSB also pointed out that “the Ukrainian side participated in the instruction and training of fighters in the Middle East.”
“The bandits intended to escape through the border. Right to the territory of Ukraine. According to our preliminary operational data, they were waiting for them there (…) And I tell them a secret: on the other side they wanted to receive them as heroes,” he said.
Bortnikov advocated declaring the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) a “terrorist organization” and considered the head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Kirilo Budanov, a “legitimate objective.”
The head of Russian security admitted that the United States warned them about a possible terrorist attack in Moscow, but added that he would have liked the information to be “more specific.”
He recalled that the same thing happened in 2017, when a suicide bombing killed 16 people on the St. Petersburg subway.
The head of the FSB made these statements after Putin suggested on Monday the existence of a black Ukrainian hand in the attack, despite the fact that the attack was immediately claimed by the Islamic State.
Both the United States and the European Union have urged the Kremlin to rule out as a hypothesis the participation of Ukraine in Friday’s terrorist attack.
Meanwhile, the Basmanni Court in Moscow today decreed two-month pretrial detention for an eighth suspect involved in the terrorist attack.
This is Alisher Kasimov, 32, a Russian citizen of Kyrgysy origin who, according to the investigation, rented his apartment to the alleged perpetrators of the massacre.
For his part, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday that Russia does not need Western help to investigate the attack, due to its “double standards”
“I’m sure we can take care of this investigation,” Lavrov said during a joint press conference with his Namibian counterpart, Peya Mushelenga.
The head of Russian diplomacy added that if he accepts Western aid, it would “clearly contain double standards” in order to “promote” a version that suits the West.
For Lavrov, that version consists of the fact that Ukraine “has nothing to do” with the terrorist attack, which left at least 139 dead and more than 180 injured.
In total, Russian security forces have arrested eleven people linked to the attack, claimed by the Islamic State, four of whom personally participated in the massacre.
On Tuesday, other senior Russian officials also spoke of the involvement of Kiev and Western countries in the tragedy, although they admitted that investigators have not yet established all those responsible for the crime.
International
Man arrested after deliberately driving into seven children in Osaka
Japanese police arrested a man on Thursday after he rammed his car into a group of seven schoolchildren in an apparent deliberate attack in the city of Osaka.
The children, who were on their way home from school, sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital. All seven remained conscious, according to local authorities.
An Osaka police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the suspect is a 28-year-old man from Tokyo. The officer shared statements the man made after his arrest: “I was fed up with everything, so I decided to kill people by driving into several elementary school children,” the suspect reportedly said.
The man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
The injured children, aged between seven and eight, included a seven-year-old girl who suffered a fractured jaw. The six other children—all boys—suffered minor injuries such as bruises and scratches and were undergoing medical evaluation.
Witnesses described the car as “zigzagging” before hitting the children. One witness told Nippon TV that a girl was “covered in blood” and the others appeared to have scratches.
Another witness said the driver, who was wearing a face mask, looked to be in shock when school staff pulled him from the vehicle.
Violent crimes are rare in Japan, though serious incidents do occur from time to time. In 2008, Tomohiro Kato drove a two-ton truck into pedestrians in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, then fatally stabbed several victims. Seven people were killed in that attack.
Internacionales
Clashes erupt during may day protests across France amid calls for better wages
May Day protests in France were marked by a heavy police presence and clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement in several cities.
In Paris, Lyon, and Nantes, thousands took to the streets to demand better wages, fairer working conditions, and to voice their dissatisfaction with President Emmanuel Macron’s government.
While the majority of the demonstrations remained peaceful, isolated confrontations broke out in some areas. Protesters threw objects at the police, prompting the use of tear gas and resulting in several arrests.
Videos showing police crackdowns circulated widely on social media, drawing criticism from labor unions and human rights advocates, who denounced the authorities’ response to the protests.
International
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has deported “more than half a million” migrants due to pressure from former President Donald Trump.
During a cabinet meeting highlighting the “achievements” of Trump’s administration in its first 100 days, Noem asserted that under the Republican leader’s influence, “Mexico has finally come to the table” to negotiate on migration and fentanyl trafficking.
“The president of Mexico told me she has returned just over half a million people before they reached our border,” Noem stated, criticizing media reports that suggest the Biden administration deported more migrants than Trump’s.
“I wish those deportations were counted,” Noem added, “because those people never made it to our border—she sent them back because you made her.” She went on to thank Trump: “They never made it here because they got the message—because you were so aggressive.”
Noem has made controversial claims about Sheinbaum in the past, prompting the Mexican leader to refute them.
On April 1, Sheinbaum responded to one such statement by declaring, “The president answers to only one authority, and that is the people of Mexico,” after Noem said on Fox News that she gave Sheinbaum “a list of things Trump would like to see” and that Mexico’s actions would determine whether Trump granted tariff relief.
Man arrested after deliberately driving into seven children in Osaka
Clashes erupt during may day protests across France amid calls for better wages
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
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