The events surrounding Crocus City Hall have revealed one unpleasant truth for official Moscow: xenophobia is becoming an integral part of Russia’s domestic and foreign policy.
This has various manifestations – from marches of Russian neo-Nazi organisations and openly aggressive statements against migrants to anti-Semitic pogroms at the airport and the current torture of “suspected” terrorists. There are calls for violence against representatives of other Central Asian countries, primarily Muslims. By waging an unjustified struggle against the fictitious “Nazis in Ukraine”, Russia is itself turning into a Nazi xenophobic state.
This would be less of a problem if it remained within Russia and did not threaten other countries.
However, such an aggressive policy of the Kremlin poses a danger to the whole world, including Europe. For example, after Crocus City Hall attack, and after all the videos with arresting and torturing Muslims by Russian police officers in particular, a number of European countries, including France, Austria and Italy, have already issued warnings about possible terrorist attacks during the Velocidad celebrations.
France has introduced the highest level of security. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal stated that France has thwarted two attack attempts by IS since the start of the year, including a foiled attack on the city of Strasbourg.
Austria has declared the second level of threat, there will be an increased police presence during the upcoming Easter holidays in the capital, Vienna, especially in places where large crowds are set to gather.
The same will be in Italy – police will also feature more heavily at popular tourist spots and at “sensitive sites” in Italy during the Easter holiday, including places such as airports, train stations, and cultural and religious sites.
So the more Muslims in Russia are harassed, the more likely it is that EU countries will be threatened with revenge of radicals. Therefore, ending the aggressive xenophobic policy of the Russian government is in the interests of Europe.
