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RUSSIAN state TV has broadcast a deepfake of Ukraine’s top security official appearing to brag about Kyiv’s role in the terrorist massacre at a concert hall in Moscow.
The AI-generated video of Oleksiy Danilov is doing the rounds online in an apparent disinformation campaign to sow fury and confusion over who was behind the shooting attack last night.
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Footage showed masked gunmen storming the Crocus City Hall on the outskirts of MoscowRussia is reeling after the horrific terror attack last night – the worst to hit the country in 20 years.
At least 133 were killed, including children, and over 120 wounded when four gunmen stormed Crocus City Hall and opened fire on the crowd before setting the venue ablaze.
As bodies continue to be pulled from the rubble, furious claims are being spewed by Russian officials, linking Ukraine to the massacre – despite an ISIS splinter cell taking responsibility.
A new clip, broadcast by Russian channel NTV, shows what appears to be Danilov, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, confirming Kyiv’s involvement in the attack.
However, the interview has been dismissed as a complete fake as the actual Ukrainian broadcast took place on March 16 and didn’t even feature Danilvov at all.
In the video, the fuzzy-looking face of Danilvov appears to say: “Is it fun in Moscow today? I think it’s a lot of fun. I would like to believe that we will arrange such fun for them more often.”
Yet, BBC Verify journalist Shayan Sardarizadeh stated that an AI-generated audio was dubbed over a mismatch of two recent Ukrainian TV interviews.
Exposing the sham, he wrote on X: “The deepfake video has in fact been created as a composite of two recent interviews published in the last few days with Danilov and Ukraine’s military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov.
“An AI-generated audio of Danilov has also been dubbed over the fake video.”
The twisted use of the deepfake follows furious Vladimir Putin‘s national address in which he hinted that Russia was seeking to blame Ukraine for last night’s slaughter.
In a fury-filled speech, the snarling tyrant, 71, attempted to suggest the gunmen tried to escape to Ukraine after the “barbaric terrorist attack”.
Unblinking and tight-lipped, he said: “I am speaking to you today in connection with the bloody, barbaric terrorist act, the victims of which were dozens of innocent, peaceful people.”
He continued: “All four perpetrators of the terrorist act who shot and killed people have been detained.
“They were travelling towards Ukraine … We will identify and punish everybody who stood behind the terrorists, who prepared the attack.”
He also declared March 24 a day of national mourning for the victims.
EPA
ISIS released an alleged picture of the four gunmen posing by their black flag before the attack
The terrorists shot victims at point-blank range before allegedly fleeing through the basement
Pictures released by Russia of the four suspected gunmen which they have detained
Ukraine has denied any involvement in the rampage, with an advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky calling the claims “absolutely untenable and absurd”.
They hit back specially at the allegation that the gunmen were “headed to Ukraine”, blasting it as rubbish.
What we know so far:
- At least 133 dead and more than 120 injured in the terrorist attack in Moscow
- Gunmen armed with automatic weapons & explosives stormed the Crocus City Hall last night at 8pm local time
- Some 6,000 fans were gathered to watch Russian rock band Picnic
- Fires were set in the venue and burned out of control – hampering the rescue mission
- Russia has arrested the four suspected gunmen
- A faction of ISIS have claimed responsibility for Russia’s worst terror attack in 20 years
- Ukraine has denied anything to do with the massacre
- US and British intelligence warned Russia weeks before about the threat of an ‘imminent’ attack – but were dismissed
Andrii Yusov, spokesman for Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence, said “you don’t need to be a security expert” to understand Putin’s claims were nonsense.
He pointed to the fact the border between Ukraine and Russia is an active warzone, under intense surveillance from both sides and laced with landmines.
“Understandably, this version does not withstand criticism understood by everyone in the world except perhaps the Russian population, which may be indoctrinated,” he said.
US officials claim they have intelligence to confirm the plot was masterminded by the barbaric ISIS faction operating in Afghanistan, known as ISIS -K.
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the massacre and even released a picture purporting to show the four suspects posing next to the death cult’s flag before they stormed the concert hall.
Yet, the FSB has continued to allege that the suspects in the terror attack “had ties to Ukraine”.
Russia claims it has already arrested the suspected shooters and at least seven others in connection with the attack.
Two were apprehended after a car chase and two others fled into a forest before being detained – all four have been named and pictured by the FSB.
Russia has been releasing gruesome footage of their interrogations throughout today, including a grisly video of one suspect appearing to be fed his own sliced off ear.
It has also emerged that the Russian leader rubbished warnings from the US and UK about an “imminent” terror attack just three days before.
British and US intelligence services alerted Russia earlier this month of the threat of a terror attack on Moscow – something the Kremlin sought to downplay, describing it as “provocative”.
THE ATTACK
The gunmen began shooting civilians at point-blank range – through glass doors, turnstiles and then the concert hall itself, traumatised witnesses said.
Devastating footage showed piles of bodies outside the blackened concert venue on the western edge of Moscow today.
Firefighters and emergency workers are facing the grim task of going through the smouldering ruins to potentially find even more victims.
The bodies of whole families were found, dead mothers embracing their dead children, Russian media reported.
The death toll continues to rise as more bodies are dragged from the rubble in an operation that could “at least a few more days,” Moscow’s governor said.
Horrifying accounts have emerged in the wake of the shooting attack.
Witnesses described how four armed men walked calmly towards the metal detectors at Crocus City Hall, firing their automatic weapons point-blank in short bursts and terrified civilians fell screaming in a hail of bullets.
Footage showed dozens of bodies, some in pools of blood, lay motionless on the marble floors and at the main entrance.
One survivor, Natalya, said: “The shots came from behind us.
“It was loud, like a firecracker blast, fireworks, but like an automatic burst. I could hear it right behind me, not far away.”
Then Natalya ran for her life. “Everyone was screaming; everyone was running.”
Another witness said: “We huddled in a corner at the entrance. He [gunman] came up and started shooting directly at people.
“They had black hair. They were shouting at each other and it was not Russian speech.”
Another woman told how she feigned being shot – which saved her life.
She said: “They [the terrorists] were standing at the exit, we didn’t go there, but they saw us.”
“One of them came running back and started shooting at us.
“I fell on the floor, and pretended to die. A girl next to me was killed.”
Witnesses told of leaping over fire, some with their clothes melting, to escape the blaze which swiftly spread over an area of 12,900sqm, sending flames and a plume of black smoke billowing into the night sky.
Over 120 people are still in hospital with the conditions of 44 survivors described as “serious”.
Over 600 people have turned out to give blood at donation centres across Moscow so far this morning to help the wounded, Russia’s health ministry has said.
UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron this morning condemned the deadly terror attack.
He wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “We offer our heartfelt condolences and express our deepest sympathy to the families of the many victims. Nothing can ever justify such horrific violence.”
One of the suspects appears with a bloodied face after having his ear cut off
The gunmen set fire to the building with people trapped inside
The fire raged for hours – hampering rescue efforts
Getty
Reactions of mourners outside the scene of the attack
ReutersThe Return of ISIS
ISIS's infamous black flag is feared to be rising once again - with the attack on the Moscow hall being one of their bloodiest since they were defeated in the Middle East.
The terrorist group’s attacks sparked horror around the world for years – and their violent videos showing beheadings, burnings and other executions shocked society to its core.
But it is feared that following on from the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan and the crisis in the Middle East following the October 7 massacre, the group is gathering strength.
US General Joel Vowell – who leads America’s efforts abroad to squash ISIS – warned that the threat of a suspected attack has risen 200 per cent in the last three months.
He has headed the ten year US-led coalition Operation Inherent Resolve against ISIS, which saw Western troops stationed in Iraq and Syria – two hotbeds of the terror group’s activity.
In January he met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to talk about removing US troops from Iraq – but instead issued a disturbing message.
The Middle East expert explained that ISIS cells have been rallying their forces in the background, “in Syria and Iraq in the last 60 days in particular”.
Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist extremist movement, launched a brutal attack on Israel’s border in the early hours of October 7, 2023 dubbed Israel’s “9/11” – killing over 1200 people.
Extremist Islamist groups including the Houthis and Hezbollah have aimed attacks at the US and the UK, citing support of Israel – because of their war against Hamas.
Professor Anthony Glees told The Sun that the Western world now faces threats “from all sides” – and that the fight against Hamas, the Houthis and Hezbollah shouldn’t detract from efforts to protect ourselves from older terrorist threats like ISIS.
“I absolutely think we are being assailed from all sides. That makes us vulnerable. And when you’re vulnerable, you get bullied and attacked.”
The security expert also told The Sun that he “absolutely” thinks it’s possible that we could be looking at a new wave of a terrorist threat like those seen over the last 20 years.
The raging threat of terror groups like Hamas, the Houthis and Hezbollah could be combined with attacks by organisations like ISIS on UK soil.
Glees claimed that the events of October 7 and the ensuing war has “provided that spark”.
Ex-US General Ben Hodges said: “The UK is in a pre-war environment. That means war is coming.”
Met Police commissioner Mark Rowley warned this time last year that Britain that the UK has tens of thousands of potential terrorists hiding in plain sight.
Sir Rowley warned that they were on the security services radar, and would need just a “spark” to act on their extremist beliefs.
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