Amid Russian hints of Ukraine's involvement in the bloody attack on a concert hall in the Crocus City Hall complex last week, which was claimed by ISIS, a new accusation has emerged. Today, the co-chair of the parliamentary committee investigating criminal activities against minors by Kyiv, Deputy Chair of the State Duma Anna Kuznetsova, confirmed that Ukrainian intelligence is recruiting minors from disadvantaged families to make calls from Ukraine to Russia that include invitations to carry out terrorist activities.
She noted that Kyiv is actively recruiting minors, adding, "There are calls and messages coming from 13 regions in Ukraine, often from Ukrainian orphaned children or those from disadvantaged families who have been recruited by the intelligence," according to TASS news agency. Additionally, she pointed out that Moscow received information about attempts to recruit children in 19 regions in Russia.
Kuznetsova explained that children in those Russian regions received messages via instant messaging apps calling for participation in terrorist activities. She also mentioned that participants in the World Youth Festival held in Sochi, Russia, received threatening messages.
These statements come after Moscow previously accused Western and Ukrainian intelligence agencies of assisting the perpetrators of the attack on the concert hall, which resulted in approximately 140 deaths. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova expressed doubt about ISIS's involvement in the attack, questioning why the United States was quick to exonerate Ukraine.
