According to their own statements, Moscow security authorities have arrested six “neo-Nazis” who were allegedly commissioned by Ukraine to murder representatives of the Russian state media. The Russian domestic secret service FSB announced on Monday that the Ukrainian secret service SBU was behind the planned attacks. Despite some published videos, the information might not be verified.
President Vladimir Putin picked up the story and spoke of a terrorist group being taken down. The TV presenter Vladimir Solovyov (58) should have been murdered, he said at a meeting with the general prosecutor’s office.
In Kyiv, the SBU announced that it would not comment on these fantasies of the Russian secret services. Sanctioned by the EU and Canada, Solovyov is one of the main propagandists of the Kremlin line on Russian state television. Ukraine and opponents of the Kremlin call him a “rabble-rouser”.
Explosives found
This group also includes general director Dmitry Kiselyov and editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan of the state media company RT (formerly Russia Today). She and media representative Olga Skabeeva were also named as potential targets of attacks.
According to the State Investigative Committee in Moscow, six Russian members of the “Neo-Nazi” splinter group National Socialism/White Power were arrested. Explosives, handguns and grenades were found on them. The attackers were said to have blown up Solovyov in his car. After that they should have fled to Ukraine.
Solovyov is considered Russia’s chief propagandist and mouthpiece for Putin. He owns various villas around the world. Some of them are now subject to sanctions. Two villas on Lake Como were the victims of an arson attack a few weeks ago. (zis)
