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| Conspiracy Theories Mix With Official Condolences | Conspiracy Theories Mix With Official Condolences |
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| MOSCOW — In Russia, reaction to the violence that rocked Paris last week fell quickly into two camps. | MOSCOW — In Russia, reaction to the violence that rocked Paris last week fell quickly into two camps. |
| On the official level, there was quick, sober condemnation and condolences. But social media and some pro-Kremlin media — whether in print or on television — erupted with accusations blaming some of Russia’s favorite boogeymen. | On the official level, there was quick, sober condemnation and condolences. But social media and some pro-Kremlin media — whether in print or on television — erupted with accusations blaming some of Russia’s favorite boogeymen. |
| The reactions range from calling the attacks the just consequences of Western depravity to the inevitable conspiracy theory summed up by a mainstream tabloid’s cover on Monday: “Was the Terrorist Attack in Paris Staged by the Americans?” | The reactions range from calling the attacks the just consequences of Western depravity to the inevitable conspiracy theory summed up by a mainstream tabloid’s cover on Monday: “Was the Terrorist Attack in Paris Staged by the Americans?” |
| President Vladimir V. Putin set the official tone by issuing two statements condemning the assault on the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and expressing condolences for the victims. In the first, issued just hours after the shootings last Wednesday, he “reiterated Russia’s readiness to continue active cooperation in combating the threat of terrorism.” | President Vladimir V. Putin set the official tone by issuing two statements condemning the assault on the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and expressing condolences for the victims. In the first, issued just hours after the shootings last Wednesday, he “reiterated Russia’s readiness to continue active cooperation in combating the threat of terrorism.” |
| The foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, flew to Paris to join leaders from some 40 countries in a mass unity rally on Sunday. | The foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, flew to Paris to join leaders from some 40 countries in a mass unity rally on Sunday. |
| On Monday, Mr. Lavrov said he felt that Western leaders were ready to resume the cooperation on counterterrorism that was frozen last year amid tensions over Ukraine. The Western leaders he encountered wanted to “change this unhealthy situation,” he told a news conference. | On Monday, Mr. Lavrov said he felt that Western leaders were ready to resume the cooperation on counterterrorism that was frozen last year amid tensions over Ukraine. The Western leaders he encountered wanted to “change this unhealthy situation,” he told a news conference. |
| But predictably, given the current strains with the West, there was a completely different reaction elsewhere, one that emphasized the idea that traditional Russian family values meant that events like those in the godless West could never happen here. | But predictably, given the current strains with the West, there was a completely different reaction elsewhere, one that emphasized the idea that traditional Russian family values meant that events like those in the godless West could never happen here. |
| There have been the usual references to the economic, social and political problems in Europe, with a wave to the decadence such critics say surrounds those putatively descending societies. | There have been the usual references to the economic, social and political problems in Europe, with a wave to the decadence such critics say surrounds those putatively descending societies. |
| That coverage was supplemented by various other pieces suggesting that Charlie Hebdo had provoked the attackers, calling the editors “a mob of blasphemers.” | That coverage was supplemented by various other pieces suggesting that Charlie Hebdo had provoked the attackers, calling the editors “a mob of blasphemers.” |
| Dmitri O. Rogozin, a deputy prime minister, wrote on Twitter on Monday: “Terrorism is evil. There’s no justification to it. Yet you can’t confuse freedom of speech with freedom to injure people’s deep feelings.” | Dmitri O. Rogozin, a deputy prime minister, wrote on Twitter on Monday: “Terrorism is evil. There’s no justification to it. Yet you can’t confuse freedom of speech with freedom to injure people’s deep feelings.” |
| A distinct fringe was rather more triumphant. Dmitry Tsorionov, a Russian Orthodox activist who uses the name Dimitry Enteo on the Russian social media site Vkontakte, wrote there that the cartoonists had it coming. | A distinct fringe was rather more triumphant. Dmitry Tsorionov, a Russian Orthodox activist who uses the name Dimitry Enteo on the Russian social media site Vkontakte, wrote there that the cartoonists had it coming. |
| “The cartoonists from France mocked not only Muslims, they mocked in the most horrible and sacrilegious way our Lord Jesus Christ, and their punishment is undoubtedly just,” he said. | “The cartoonists from France mocked not only Muslims, they mocked in the most horrible and sacrilegious way our Lord Jesus Christ, and their punishment is undoubtedly just,” he said. |
| He also said that he had organized a protest outside the French Embassy and posted a picture of a woman there holding a placard that read: “The responsibility for the tragedy rests with the government of France. They did not protect the feelings of the believers.” | He also said that he had organized a protest outside the French Embassy and posted a picture of a woman there holding a placard that read: “The responsibility for the tragedy rests with the government of France. They did not protect the feelings of the believers.” |
| Mr. Tsorionov has gained a certain notoriety around Moscow for organizing protests that often turn violent against gay targets, and he was among the most outspoken protesters against the punk band Pussy Riot. | Mr. Tsorionov has gained a certain notoriety around Moscow for organizing protests that often turn violent against gay targets, and he was among the most outspoken protesters against the punk band Pussy Riot. |
| Scores of Russians laid flowers and other expressions of sympathy at the French Embassy in Moscow, and more liberal voices in the Russian Orthodox Church responded that they were appalled by Mr. Tsorionov — often without naming him directly. | Scores of Russians laid flowers and other expressions of sympathy at the French Embassy in Moscow, and more liberal voices in the Russian Orthodox Church responded that they were appalled by Mr. Tsorionov — often without naming him directly. |
| Some invoked the case of the punk band, the best-known free speech case in recent Russian history, when two young female musicians were sent to labor camps for two years after singing an anti-Putin song in the Russian Orthodox cathedral of the Moscow establishment in 2012. | Some invoked the case of the punk band, the best-known free speech case in recent Russian history, when two young female musicians were sent to labor camps for two years after singing an anti-Putin song in the Russian Orthodox cathedral of the Moscow establishment in 2012. |
| Sergei Chapnin, a high-profile Orthodox commentator, wrote last week that he was “amazed most of all by the high level of sympathy for the killers, the readiness to justify them, based on a fear of ‘incitement of religious discord.'” | Sergei Chapnin, a high-profile Orthodox commentator, wrote last week that he was “amazed most of all by the high level of sympathy for the killers, the readiness to justify them, based on a fear of ‘incitement of religious discord.'” |
| Then he linked it to the punk band’s case. “In the depths of our Russian soul, there still smolders dissatisfaction with the Pussy Riot verdict not being harsh enough,” he wrote. “For some, yesterday’s tragedy in Paris is something to fantasize about.” | Then he linked it to the punk band’s case. “In the depths of our Russian soul, there still smolders dissatisfaction with the Pussy Riot verdict not being harsh enough,” he wrote. “For some, yesterday’s tragedy in Paris is something to fantasize about.” |
| Ramzan A. Kadyrov, the pugilistic leader of Chechnya, which continues to endure attacks from violent Islamic extremists, lashed out at a variety of targets ranging from the exiled oil tycoon Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky to Echo of Moscow, the radio voice for liberal Russia, for linking the publication of the cartoons in Charlie Hebdo with free speech. | Ramzan A. Kadyrov, the pugilistic leader of Chechnya, which continues to endure attacks from violent Islamic extremists, lashed out at a variety of targets ranging from the exiled oil tycoon Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky to Echo of Moscow, the radio voice for liberal Russia, for linking the publication of the cartoons in Charlie Hebdo with free speech. |
| Posting on Instagram, which he uses for official pronouncements, Mr. Kadyrov used rather threatening tones to say that no one should be allowed to insult the Prophet Muhammad. | Posting on Instagram, which he uses for official pronouncements, Mr. Kadyrov used rather threatening tones to say that no one should be allowed to insult the Prophet Muhammad. |
| “Even if we have been quiet up until now, that does not mean we cannot raise millions of people in marches against those who indulge in offending the religious feelings of Muslims,” he wrote on Monday. “Is that what you want? For people it is more important to have peace and stability, and it is not the right of a small group of people to treat the prophet with disrespect.” | “Even if we have been quiet up until now, that does not mean we cannot raise millions of people in marches against those who indulge in offending the religious feelings of Muslims,” he wrote on Monday. “Is that what you want? For people it is more important to have peace and stability, and it is not the right of a small group of people to treat the prophet with disrespect.” |
| There was another discussion thread basically agreeing that such an attack would never happen in Russia but for a completely different reason — because the country lacks even the concept of free speech. | There was another discussion thread basically agreeing that such an attack would never happen in Russia but for a completely different reason — because the country lacks even the concept of free speech. |
| Ilya Varlamov, a photojournalist with a popular blog, said he agreed with another blogger, Egor Prosvirnin, who edits Sputnik & Pogrom, a popular website with Russian nationalist leanings. Mr. Prosvirnin wrote on Facebook that any Russians saying “Ya Charlie,” or “I am Charlie,” the signature reaction to the violence in Paris, were lying to themselves. | |
| “You live in a country where there are several criminal articles which directly limit freedom of speech, which are written such that they can be applied to practically anything,” he wrote. “If you tried to be Charlie, they would just throw you in jail.” | “You live in a country where there are several criminal articles which directly limit freedom of speech, which are written such that they can be applied to practically anything,” he wrote. “If you tried to be Charlie, they would just throw you in jail.” |
| Given that much of official Russia has tried to portray the new government in Kiev as a “terrorist regime,” there was also an outpouring of criticism that the violence in Ukraine had not provoked a similar international outcry. | Given that much of official Russia has tried to portray the new government in Kiev as a “terrorist regime,” there was also an outpouring of criticism that the violence in Ukraine had not provoked a similar international outcry. |
| The Kremlin and its supporters maintain that the separatists in the Donbass region of southeastern Ukraine need protection from Kiev’s onslaught and deny any official Russian military involvement. | The Kremlin and its supporters maintain that the separatists in the Donbass region of southeastern Ukraine need protection from Kiev’s onslaught and deny any official Russian military involvement. |
| “I am Donbass” became a popular hashtag on Twitter in Russia, and various politicians weighed in on this theme. | “I am Donbass” became a popular hashtag on Twitter in Russia, and various politicians weighed in on this theme. |
| Right after the attack, Aleksei Pushkov, the chairman of the international affairs committee in the Duma, or the lower house of Parliament, wrote on Twitter that the attacks showed that it was not Russia but terrorism that was a genuine threat to Europe. After President Petro O. Poroshenko of Ukraine participated in the Paris march, however, he wrote on Twitter that Ukraine was bombing Donbass and suggested that it did not belong among the ranks of “civilized nations.” | Right after the attack, Aleksei Pushkov, the chairman of the international affairs committee in the Duma, or the lower house of Parliament, wrote on Twitter that the attacks showed that it was not Russia but terrorism that was a genuine threat to Europe. After President Petro O. Poroshenko of Ukraine participated in the Paris march, however, he wrote on Twitter that Ukraine was bombing Donbass and suggested that it did not belong among the ranks of “civilized nations.” |
| But nothing is quite so appealing to the Russian news media as the idea that the United States was somehow implicated in wrongdoing and skulduggery. Komsomolskaya Pravda, a conservative tabloid, devoted its cover on Monday to the idea that the United States might have been behind the attacks last week, with a story headlined, “Blood Was Shed in Paris for Old Europe to Completely Fall Under America.” | But nothing is quite so appealing to the Russian news media as the idea that the United States was somehow implicated in wrongdoing and skulduggery. Komsomolskaya Pravda, a conservative tabloid, devoted its cover on Monday to the idea that the United States might have been behind the attacks last week, with a story headlined, “Blood Was Shed in Paris for Old Europe to Completely Fall Under America.” |
| The main article was built around comments from an obscure political analyst who noted the attack came just days after François Hollande, the French president, suggested that sanctions against Russia might be lifted. | The main article was built around comments from an obscure political analyst who noted the attack came just days after François Hollande, the French president, suggested that sanctions against Russia might be lifted. |
| “It looks like that was Hollande’s fatal mistake!” the newspaper quoted the analyst as saying. “Because Washington needs war in Ukraine! It is clear to any specialist that American special services stand behind the terror attacks in France as Washington is the main beneficiary.” | “It looks like that was Hollande’s fatal mistake!” the newspaper quoted the analyst as saying. “Because Washington needs war in Ukraine! It is clear to any specialist that American special services stand behind the terror attacks in France as Washington is the main beneficiary.” |