Concert hall attack dents Putin's tough image. He tries to use it to rally support for Ukraine war
The attack on a Moscow-area concert hall that killed scores of people has dealt a major blow to President Vladimir Putin's image as a tough guy who is able to defend Russia from all threats
A week ago, President Vladimir Putin swaggered triumphantly onstage at a post-election event surrounded by young people in T-shirts reading “Putin — Russia — Victory,” and he confidently shrugged off Western criticism of the vote as neither free nor fair.
This weekend, a very different Vladimir Putin addressed a nation shocked by a massacre at a rock concert on Moscow’s outskirts. His image as a tough leader was badly dented by gunmen who mowed down dozens of victims, unchecked by police or security.
Appearing on TV on Saturday, hours after the attack that killed 137 people and wounded over 100, he sought to make it serve his political goals by alleging a link between the gunmen and Ukraine, saying the assailants planned to flee there. He made no mention of the Islamic State group, which claimed responsibility, or of Kyiv's denial of involvement.
It's not the first time in his nearly a quarter-century in power that Putin has tried to use a failure by his security services to achieve his aims.
