Vladimir Nenashev, head of the investigation department of the prosecutor's office, said an explosion last week at the Lyublinskaya power station in southeast Moscow followed a mysterious telephone call to the police.
The caller, who said he represented Russian officers opposed to the war in Chechnya, threatened to blow up one building a week in central Moscow unless the fighting stopped and negotiations were started.
A second device exploded at the Metropol Hotel last Sunday. There were no injuries, largely because the blast failed to trigger a military mine planted in a third-floor suite.
"The blast in the Metropol Hotel could be considered as carrying out the threat," Nenashev said. "The mine was not the sort of device used by ordinary gangsters."
A spokesman for the Federal Counterintelligence Service, Sergei Bogdanov, said his organization was taking this theory seriously and that an investigation into an armed forces link had begun.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.