Moscow remains ready to cooperate with London in combating terrorism - Russian senator Kosachyov
MOSCOW. June 4 (Interfax) - Russia continues to stand ready to cooperate with the West, including the United Kingdom, in fighting against terrorism, Russian Federation Council international affairs committee head Konstantin Kosachyov said.
"From the very beginning, Russia was ready and is still ready to work together with the UK and other Western countries to counter this common threat both there, in its primary source, and here, in our countries," Kosachyov wrote on his Facebook account on Sunday.
"How many other tragedies should happen to make our potential allies in the fight against terror eventually alter their consciousness, or more likely their perception of the world?" he said.
"Apart from its terrifying cruelty," the latest terrorist act in London "was staged aiming to the maximum extent to cause intimidation," Kosachyov said.
"Causing a death toll is no longer enough for terrorists. Their actions were well orchestrated and were stretched in terms of time and space so that as many witnesses as possible would see them," Kosachyov said.
The UK has become the target of terrorists for the third time in recent months, the Russian senator said, adding that, in his opinion, it was not just a coincidence.
"They are hitting a country whose policy has long been most active in the region where terrorism has taken root. It is a policy that is seen by a large number of natives of this region as hostile, aggressive and deserving retribution," he said.
"It is impossible" to guard oneself from terrorism "simply by shutting down another "la Manche"," he said.
"Attempts to hide in "their own island" from the surrounding world amid transparent borders and liberal laws are illusory," Kosachyov said.
UK media outlets have reported that on Saturday evening, unknown persons drove their van at high speed into pedestrians on London Bridge. Then they got out of the van and attacked people with hunting knives. Attacks also occurred in the nearby Borough Market area and in the Vauxhall district. The police officially declared the incidents on London Bridge and the Borough Market area as terrorist acts by 00:25 a.m. London time. The police also said the incident in the Vauxhall district was not related to them. Mark Rowley, the UK's top anti-terrorism officer, told reporters on Sunday morning that all of the terrorists who had attacked people in London had been neutralized.
According to the latest updates, the death toll from the latest incidents stands at six, and around 50 people have been hospitalized with injuries.
