Kremlin blames ‘madman’ for stabbing journalist and denies any role in inciting hatred against critics
Many commentators blamed the authorities for the attack, saying they had created an atmosphere in which such an assault became possible
The Kremlin dismissed on Tuesday any criticism over the knife attack on a liberal radio journalist as work of a “madman” amid accusations the state fomented an atmosphere of hatred towards dissenters.
Tatyana Felgenhauer, a 32-year-old presenter, was attacked on Monday at the offices of the Echo of Moscow radio station by a man who claimed to have a “telepathic” connection with her. She underwent surgery and was on a ventilator on Monday but showed signs of improvements and was awake on Tuesday.
“The actions of a madman are the actions of a madman,” President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“Trying to link them to anything is absolutely illogical and wrong,” he said, expressing sympathy to the journalist and the radio station.
The actions of a madman are the actions of a madman. Trying to link them to anything is absolutely illogical and wrong
The suspect, identified as Boris Grits, a 48-year-old seemingly mentally unstable man, broke into the radio station’s offices in central Moscow and lunged at the journalist with a knife after blinding a security guard with a spray.