It “beggars belief” that the attack suspects would have fled to “one of the most fortified borders” in the world after gunning down dozens of concertgoers in Russia, says our military analyst Sean Bell.
Vladimir Putin claimed that Russian authorities caught the four suspected gunmen as they were moving towards Ukraine where a “window” had been prepared for them. Kyiv has denied any involvement.
On whether there is any justification for the claim, Bell says it’s difficult to believe the Russian narrative.
“When we did basic escape and evasion training, the first thing you do is go the opposite way to the way everybody expects you to go because that way you’re most likely to survive,” he explains.
“Why they would head for one of the most fortified borders anywhere in the world at the moment just beggars belief. I don’t buy it,” he says.
Russia could be leveraging the claim to try and justify ramping up attacks on Ukraine, Bell says.
However he he notes that it’s “not entirely clear” why the Kremlin would choose this route as it already controls the narrative internally, and has launched a series of attacks in recent weeks before the concert hall shootings.