In attempts to connect Ukraine to a terrorist attack in a Moscow suburb in a Crocus City Hall music venue, Russians often spread lies without any proof. This time, propagandists shared the news that the head of the Security Services of Ukraine (SBU), Vasyl Maliuk, allegedly hinted that Ukraine is related to the Crocus City Hall attack. 

Our fact-checkers have debunked this news.

What happened? 

On March 26, Russian propagandist media Komsomolskaya Pravda (Комсомольская правда) published an article with the epic title, “It’s us who ordered Crocus: Ukraine couldn’t restrain its arrogance and confessed to committing terrorist acts.” 

In the article, the author alleges that the head of the SBU said that Ukraine was behind the Crocus City Hall shooting. 

The author is Russian “war correspondent” and propagandist Alexander Kots, who also shared the news on social networks and Telegram.  

“The SBU’s head made [us] understand that Ukraine is behind the terrorist attack in Crocus. While the “civilized world” diligently tries to cover up Ukraine’s involvement in the attack, SBU brags about its achievements. [They do this] without confessing directly,” Kots writes. 

Other Russian media, including CentrAsia (ЦентрАзия) and Storm 365 (Шторм 365), shared Kots’ article.

Analysis

As evidence that SBU’s head disclosed information about Ukraine having been involved in the organization of a Moscow terrorist attack, Kots refers to Vasyl Maliuk’s own words. 

He says Maliuk allegedly answered the question about SBU’s connection to “infamous assassinations” in Russia with the phrase, “The question is directed to the right person, but we won’t, in any way, confirm anything officially.” 

We figured that Kots is talking about the interview of SBU’s head, Vasyl Maliuk, and Facts ICTV (Факти ICTV), which was published on March 25.

 In the interview, Maliuk talks about the consequences of the attacks on Russian oil refineries, the attack on the Crimean bridge, the assassinations of collaborationists during the war, and many other things. 

Olena Froliak, a host of the ICTV interview, asks a specific question related to the assassinations of specific people accused of collaborationism and state treason in Ukraine. 

“Was SBU really involved in the assassination of such characters like [Illia] Kyva, [Oleg] Tsaryov, [Vladlen] Tatarsky? Could you share some details if that’s true?” Froliak asked. 

“The question is directed to [the right person], but we won’t, in any way, confirm anything officially. But, along with that, I will share some details with you,” Maliuk said. 

Talking about Illia Kyva, the SBU’s head noted that, apart from sending intelligence to Russians when in Ukraine, Kyva became “the main talking head” who helped “conduct special information operations” and “curated a series of agent infiltrations in Ukraine” after he moved to Russia. Maliuk said that Kyva was shot twice from a short-barreled weapon.

Maliuk said, Vladlen Tatarskiy was killed in Saint Petersburg’s café in a blast of 400 grams of thermobaric explosive hidden in a figurine, gifted to him. He noted, that Tatarskyi was the “voice” for Russian-backed militants in occupied Donetsk and the Wagner group and “orchestrated rape of Ukrainian prisoners of war.” 

Maliuk also spoke about Zakhar Prilepin, Ihor Kornet, and Serhii Hordenko. But he didn’t, in any way, hint at or admit Ukraine’s involvement in the terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall. 

So, we’re dealing with another invention of Russian propaganda. 

Conclusion: Fake 

Anna Ormanzhy debunked this fake, and Yana Sliemzina translated and adapted her text for English-speaking audiences. Support our fact-checking efforts on Patreon, BMC, or Paypal, and join us in the fight against Russian propaganda. 

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