The Haunting Return of Islamist Extremism in Russia: A New Wave of Terror
The Horrific Aftermath of the Crocus City Hall Attack
The chilling scene of gunmen attacking an entertainment venue and leaving bodies on the cold concrete once again haunted the safety of Moscow. This horrific event mirrored a similar incident that occurred almost 22 years ago outside the Dubrovka Theatre, where Chechen gunmen took 800 hostages.
A Brutal Past Returns to Haunt Putin and the Kremlin
Although the theatre attacks of 2002 marked just one of many low points in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war on Islamist extremism, last night’s attack served as a stark reminder that the past has come back to haunt the Kremlin. If indeed ISIS-K, the militant group’s Afghan branch, was responsible for this heinous act, as their claim and advance warnings from US officials suggest, it signifies a new generation of extremists with Russia in their sights.
Born Online: The New Wave of Extremist Ideology
Two decades of state repression have not been able to deny the new wave of anger its bloody agency. The attackers likely spawned from an ideology born contact, following Russia’s brutal suppression of Islamism in the southern regions.
The State Response: Then and Now
In 2002, the Dubrovka gunmen were products of Russia’s savage anti-terror campaign. In contrast, Friday’s attackers appeared to run unimpeded through a crowded Friday night mall despite public warnings from the US for weeks about the threat to public spaces.
The Kremlin’s Struggle to Explain and Respond
The Russian state response has been marked by a desperate attempt to shift blame towards Western prescience and Ukrainian assistance. These claims, however, lack substance, as Ukraine has strenuously denied any connection with the attack.
The Implications and Consequences
This terrifying event exposes how Putin’s grip on power is weaker than it appears. The safety of the muted, urban electorate in the capital has been sacrificed to his war of choice in Ukraine. Despite the advanced surveillance system and cameras, a vast shopping center fell prey to the same terrors of 2002.
A Dark Chapter for Putin: A Familiar Enemy, a West to Blame, and a State Unable to Protect
This new chapter in Putin’s rule brings with it a familiar enemy that his brutal tactics cannot fully vanquish, a West to blame for intelligence warnings ignored and politicized, and a state unable to protect its softest targets. The question remains whether Russians are willing to turn to him as their protector once more in this era of terror.
