In recent days, the Turkish media have published reports aimed at falsely linking Ukraine to the terrorist attack that recently took place in the Crocus City Hall shopping centre in the Moscow region. The accusations that the Russian side is trying to attribute to Ukraine are completely unfounded and unacceptable. Ukraine has always adhered to international law and the principles of sovereignty of states, continuing to fight terrorism together with the international community. This includes the fight against Russian state terrorism, which daily uses terror against the civilian population of Ukraine, shelling cities and destroying civilian infrastructure.

Russia's baseless allegations against Ukraine, including the aforementioned terrorist act, are part of the Kremlin's strategy to discredit Ukraine and justify its own aggression. Importantly, Russia's attempts to accuse Ukraine of terrorism have never been supported by objective evidence and should be seen as an element of information warfare. The argument that the suspects were allegedly moving towards the Ukrainian border has no basis in fact, especially given that Russia's full-scale aggression has turned this region into a zone of high military activity.

The terrorist attack in the Moscow region deserves to be condemned, but it should not be turned into support for Putin or a distraction from his crimes against Ukraine. The world must stand united against terrorism in all its manifestations.

I am grateful to the Republic of Turkey and the media for covering the objective situation in Ukraine and urge you not to fall for the provocations and false statements spread by the Russian government.