Moscow Theater incident which created Putin’s Iron Man image, America and Britain also patted him on the back

December 1991 when the Soviet Union disintegrated and Russia witnessed its worst phase. Putin left the KGB during this period. Putin entered political bureaucracy. Associated with then President Boris Yeltsin. After this he came in contact with the oligarch. Those rich people of Russia who have more money and contacts of Russia and can get control of power for whoever they want. With their support, Putin first became Prime Minister in 1999 and then took over as President. Since then Putin’s era began. He brought Russia back into the world game and challenged superpower America.

On October 23, 2002, some attackers entered a theater in Moscow. They took people hostage there. Along with this, a demand was made that if Russia does not agree to withdraw its troops from Chechnya, then they will kill all the hostages. Russia responded by saying that if the attackers let the hostages go, their lives would be spared. The attackers did not agree. Three days later, on October 26, Russian security forces released poisonous gas inside the building. Then, while entering inside, they killed all five attackers. 750 hostages were released and 118 were killed. This was Putin’s direct message to the terrorists that Russia will not allow itself to be blackmailed at any cost. Even if he has to sacrifice the lives of his people for this. The people of Russia liked this attitude of Putin.

The Russian government declared this operation a success. Just expressed regret over the killing of the hostages. Many efforts were also made to hush up the matter. Poisonous gas was not counted as the cause of death of the people who died and it was said that they died of hunger and thirst. After this sentence Putin’s coin froze. He defended his move. Said it was necessary. He said that to save many people, the lives of some people had to be risked. Britain and America also patted Russia on the back. During that period, America had faced the World Trade Center attack just a year earlier.