Dr Matt Schmidt, professor of international affairs, national security, and political science at the University of New Haven in the United States, claims Putin’s failure to restrict access to the internet has cost him the sort of complete control that the Chinese Communist Party has over China.
“They don’t have the firewall to stop outside information like China and Iran do,” explained Dr Schmidt.
“In the early 2000s, Putin was dismissive of the Internet and didn’t understand its potential. As a result, the Russian Internet is connected to the world.”
Dr Schmidt added: “This is noted as Russians can still access some foreign social media platforms, but also increasingly engage via the Telegram social messaging app.
“Telegram is allowing some information to come in, but it is still being used by military bloggers and officials for propaganda, where the techniques are more of the liar’s dividend.”
Four men accused of carrying out the attack appeared before a Moscow court on Sunday on terrorism charges and showed signs of severe beatings. One appeared to be barely conscious during the hearing.
The men are citizens of Tajikistan, authorities said, and were named by investigators as Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, 32; Saidakrami Rachabalizoda, 30; Shamsidin Fariduni, 25; and Mukhammadsobir Faizov, 19.
They were charged with committing a terrorist attack resulting in the death of others. The offense carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Russian officials said they detained a total of 11 people over the attack. Another of those detained appeared in court Monday.
Alisher Kasimov, a citizen of Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia, was charged over renting an apartment to the men accused of carrying out the attack.
