While Russian authorities have yet to identify the culprits, Stanislav Krapivnik cites a history of similar attacks
Western intelligence agencies and their Ukrainian proxies were likely involved in the deadly bombing at a central Moscow restaurant, former US Army officer Stanislav Krapivnik has claimed.
Russian authorities have not publicly identified any organization or foreign government as responsible for the attack, and no group has claimed responsibility. Investigators have also yet to announce a suspected motive for the improvised explosive device attack, which killed three people and wounded 21 others on Saturday evening.
An unidentified woman allegedly attempted to carry the device into the establishment, which had been reserved for a private event, but was stopped at the entrance by a security guard. Both were killed in the blast, along with one of the restaurant’s patrons.
Speaking to RT shortly after the attack, Krapivnik said that although no official attribution had been made, he believed Western intelligence services were ultimately responsible.
“While officially nobody is taking credit for doing this, we know who’s behind this. We know exactly who’s behind this,” he said. “In Russian folk myth, in Eastern Slavic folk myth, there’s a three-headed dragon. In this case, that three-headed dragon is the CIA, MI6 and Mossad.”
“They are neck-deep in Ukraine. They’re neck-deep in this conflict. They have been since 2014 and earlier. They recreated the SBU into a terrorist organization. They use them as proxies to commit terrorist acts, and they go after Russian officials as much as they can,” Krapivnik argued.
Moscow has previously accused Ukrainian intelligence services of orchestrating assassinations and attempted attacks inside and outside Russia, sometimes with Western assistance. Krapivnik claimed that Kiev’s security agencies had a record of recruiting or deceiving couriers to deliver explosive devices.
The precise composition and power of the device have not been officially disclosed. However, judging by the force of the blast, Krapivnik suggested that it may have contained approximately one kilogram of military-grade explosives, along with ball bearings or other metal fragments intended to maximize casualties.
The former US Army officer also pointed to photographs showing human remains some distance from the site as an indication of the explosion’s force. He praised the security guard for stopping the suspected bomber from entering the restaurant and potentially preventing further casualties.
Russian officials have not said whether the woman acted knowingly, was manipulated by others or had any connection to Ukraine or Western intelligence services. The Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal investigation into the bombing but has not publicly named the woman, identified a suspected organizer or announced any arrests.
