FSB's Inflated Terror Claims Fuel Putin's Grip Amid Moscow Bombing

Since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the Federal Security Service has shifted from genuine counter-terrorism to domestic propaganda, regularly announcing record numbers of "disrupted" Ukrainian attacks to appear indispensable to Vladimir Putin. Lawyer Ivan Pavlov says the agency even recruits Russians to pose as Ukrainian operatives, inflating statistics. The trend was highlighted by a bomb that exploded in a Moscow restaurant within the Seven Sisters complex on a birthday celebration for Russian Aerospace Forces commander Alexander Chaiko, killing five and injuring at least 20, among them his daughter and son-in-law; authorities claim a young woman delivered the homemade device.

The FSB has also publicized the arrest of a 30-year-old woman allegedly acting on Ukrainian orders, though no details were provided. Critics such as Irina Borogan and Alexander Cherkasov warn the service now prioritizes political patronage over genuine security, using terror accusations to control domestic politics. The agency’s actions coincide with reports that FBI director Kash Patel plans to meet FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov in Moscow, a move viewed by Russian analysts as an attempt to learn intelligence-sharing tactics. The episode underscores the growing intertwining of security services with Putin's political survival strategy.