Vladimir Putin unleashes fresh accusations against West amid 'deep crisis'

Yesterday, 5 April, a fire broke out at the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) building in Moscow, according to Russian state media site TASS. Shortly afterwards, footage which showed thick black smoke pouring out one of the windows began to circulate on Telegram.

Emergency services were at the scene to put out the fire, which is thought to have started on the fifth floor of the MoD office, and there were no casualties.

In a strange coincidence, it came just hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Western intelligence agencies of carrying out 'terrorist attacks' against the country.

However, it is not known what caused the fire, with the MoD saying it's investigating.

Vladimir Putin accuses West of sabotage and terrorism

Hours before the fire broke out, Putin met 17 new ambassadors in Moscow, including Lynne Tracy, Washington's new diplomat, and Roland Galharague, the EU's envoy, at the Grand Palace in Moscow.

Once he had welcomed the ambassadors, Putin attended a meeting with members of his Security Council about maintaining law and order in the four Ukrainian provinces that Russia claimed as part of its territory in September 2022.

Putin alleged that Western intelligence agencies have assisted Ukraine in undertaking 'sabotage' and 'terrorism'. In televised remarks at the meeting, he said, without offering any proof:

Terrorist attacks targeting government and law enforcement officials, journalists, public figures, teachers of schools and universities are staged regularly.

There is every reason to believe that the capabilities of third countries, Western special services, are involved in preparation of acts of sabotage and terror attacks.

Seemingly referring to the Ukrainian authorities, Putin claimed 'neo-Nazis and their accomplices were acting' in Russia as well as the four illegally annexed provinces.

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Vladimir Putin claims he wants to protect residents

He claimed that the territories have experienced Ukrainian shelling and acts of sabotage allegedly intended to scare the local population.

Putin then called on his officials to act 'harshly and effectively to ensure control over the situation'. He claimed, referring to the local residents of the regions:

The vast majority of citizens in the new regions ... stand for unity with Russia.

They must see and feel that all our great country stands behind them and we will do everything to protect them.

Putin also directly addressed Tracy, the new US ambassador, stating that Washington was responsible for the 'Ukrainian crisis'. He added that relations with Washington were in a 'deep crisis' that was 'based on fundamentally different approaches to the formation of the modern world order'.

He also told Galharague, the new EU ambassador, that the bloc started 'geopolitical confrontation' with Moscow.

It comes as a Russian partisan group, the National Republican Army (NRA), claimed responsibility for the killing of a pro-war blogger in St Petersburg, despite Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova suggesting Ukraine was to blame.

Sources used:

Express: 'Fire breaks out at Russian MoD in Moscow as Putin warns of Western ‘terrorist attacks''

France 24: 'Putin accuses Western spies of role in 'terror attacks' in Russia'

Moscow Times: 'Putin Claims Western Intelligence Behind ‘Terrorist Attacks’ in Occupied Ukraine'