DISINFO: Suspects of the Crocus City Hall attack admitted that it was ordered by Ukraine
SUMMARY
Suspects of the March 2024 Crocus City Hall terrorist massacre said Ukraine ordered the attack. According to Russian media citing interrogation transcripts, the suspects told investigators that a Ukrainian state entity had ordered the attack, while ISIS-K served as the direct organizer. They reportedly said the weapons used in the massacre had come from Ukraine, and that the handler known to the group as ‘Saifullo’ instructed them to escape to Kyiv, where each was promised around $13,000. The suspects also allegedly said their handlers were based in Türkiye and Afghanistan. One of the suspects claimed the handlers intended the operation to appear as if it had been carried out solely on behalf of ISIS-K.
RESPONSE
This disinformation story is part of a wider campaign by Russian officials and media -including by Vladimir Putin himself- to blame Ukraine and other actors for the Crocus City Hall terror attack in Moscow, even after the Islamic State credibly claimed responsibility for it. As ISIS responsibility became undeniable (see here for a wider account of evidence), Putin acknowledged late on 25 March 2024 that Islamists had committed the attack. Nonetheless, Russian authorities and pro-Kremlin outlets continue insisting on some degree of Ukrainian and/or Western involvement.
This disinformation narrative reemerged again in 2025 as pro-Kremlin disinformation renewed efforts to try to establish a baseless connection between Ukraine and terrorism, especially after Ukraine’s successful drone raid against Russian airbases on 01 June 2025, which Moscow tried to frame as a “terror attack”.
Confessions of the suspects about Ukraine's involvement in the Crocus Hall attack were extracted under duress. There are graphic photos and video recordings showing Russian security officials cutting off part of a detained suspect’s ear and torturing another one with electricity.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that Ukraine, not ISIS masterminded the Crocus attack, that Kyiv's involvement in the Crocus terrorist attack is evident, that Crocus Hall terrorists confessed Ukraine was involved in attack, or that more proof appears of Ukraine's involvement in Crocus terror attack.