St Petersberg Underground explosion

[RortyCrankle]

10 dead, 50 injured. Putin is meeting in St Petersberg meeting Belarusian President. It's not known if connected or a terorist attack.

I should have written Metro, not underground to make it clearer.

It's awful. We'll be there in two weeks time. We're meeting up with a St Petersburg greeter and I was disproportionately relieved to hear that she and her friends and family are all OK.

I'm so pleased that they are ok. Still no news of those responsible. I suspect he/they are among the dead unfortunately. Justice would have been better served handing him/them over to the Russian Secret Service.

I think if this is ISIS related they are in for a retaliation from Russia that will be pretty violent.

You've missed a huge part of geopolitical politics there, Rorty.

There have been terrorist attacks in Russia for more than a decade due to Russia's military involvement in Chechnya - which dates to at least the Soviet era but got particularly nasty from 1994 during the Chechan War, in which there was some very, very bad shit.

This is a territorial conflict; it isn't caused by Islamism. (See also Russia's threats to Finland and the Baltic, and invasion of Ukraine.)

IIUC, it's actually the other way round. The horrendous conflict in a largely Muslim country, ignored by much of the outside world, has driven the Islamist narrative that people should combine and organise internationally as Muslims to protect Muslims.

The rather long-winded point being, that it's not the case that "take out Daesh (ISIS), and everything's fixed". If Daesh do turn out to be involved, it's a manifestation of a pre-existing problem.

And of course it can become circular and self-sustaining which is just lovely for everyone.

Meanwhile, back in St Petersburg... Noofly, I'm so glad your friends are OK. Hope your trip goes safely.

I'm fully aware of Russian politics, having a Russian friend with whom I often discuss current and historical events.