It is noted that the full picture of what happened is still unclear.

Factors behind the failure of Russian intelligence agencies to prevent the Crocus City Hall attack include mistrust of foreign intelligence, a focus on Ukraine and distracting political repression at home, The New York Times writes.

It is noted that after the US Embassy in Moscow published a public warning about a possible terrorist attack in Moscow, American intelligence closely monitored the events and considered the threat real. However, a few days later, Putin dismissed these warnings, calling them “outright blackmail” and attempts to “intimidate and destabilize society” in the Russian Federation, the publication said.

“Now Putin and his aides are pointing the finger at Ukraine, trying to divert attention from a question that would be the focus of any country with an independent media and open debate in its politics: how Russia’s vast intelligence and law enforcement apparatus, despite serious warnings, failed to prevent one of the largest terrorist attacks in the country during Putin’s almost quarter century in power?” – writes NYT.

It is indicated that the full picture of what happened is still unclear. However, U.S. and European officials, as well as security and counterterrorism experts, say the failure was likely the result of a combination of factors, chief among them the deep level of mistrust both within Russian security forces and in their relations with other global intelligence agencies.

They also point out that Putin has used his internal security apparatus for ever-expanding political repression at home, as well as his focus on war against Ukraine and the West, as distractions.

The NYT added that many U.S. and European security officials, security experts and analysts specializing in international intelligence capabilities spoke on condition of anonymity.

Among other things, one European security official who monitors the activities of Russian intelligence agencies suggested that the failure to prevent the attack was likely the result of a combination of factors, including fatigue from the “extra vigilance” ahead of the recent Russian presidential election.

Terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall – current

From the point of view of a Putin supporter, the terrorist attack in the Crocus City Hall shopping center is his complete collapse, noted Andrey Yusov, spokesman for the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.

According to him, the state, which spends colossal resources on security forces and on financing intelligence services, ultimately did not respond properly even to public warnings.