The Bombing of Vossoyedineniye Square, dubbed the Unity Day Bombing by the press, was a major terrorist attack in Moscow planned and executed by Gravik to provoke a war between the United States of America and Russia. Nick Fury, Maria Hill and Talos attempted to avert the bombings, but their efforts were in vain.
The attack resulted in over two thousand confirmed casualties, and strained global relations against the United States, enabling Gravik and the Skrull Council to proceed with the Secret Invasion.
Background[]
- "All these other attacks, they would be nothing compared to this. This is the one that sets the world on fire."
- ―Donald Prescod to "Everett Ross"[src]
Escaping from the Kree-Skrull War, a number of Skrull refugees ended up stranded on Earth, as their own planet was destroyed in the war. Nick Fury gathered the refugees and offered them to help him maintain peace on Earth by being Fury's secret operatives, while he and Carol Danvers work on finding Skrulls a new home. They followed Fury's orders, which allowed him to rise within S.H.I.E.L.D., however, the attempt to find a suitable planet for Skrulls did not come to fruition. Being killed by Thanos and brought back five years later seriously crippled Fury's faith in his own cause, which caused him to abandon Earth and relocate to the S.A.B.E.R. Space Station, from he oversaw the foundation of S.A.B.E.R., unaware that in his absence, Talos brought more Skrull refugees to Earth.
Disappointed in Fury seemingly breaking his promise, Gravik and a group of rogue Skrulls decided to rebel and take over the Earth, exterminating humanity in process. Under Gravik's orders, the Skrull Resistance proceeded to kidnap and impersonate a number of high-profile individuals across the globe, infiltrating the world governments and military structures. They orchestrated a series of international conflicts, causing the global poltical climate to deteriorate, with their end goal being a full-scale war between the United States and Russia, that would result in the humanity perishing in nuclear fire. However, Talos and Maria Hill soon found out about Gravik's efforts, so they reached out to Fury, which made him return to Earth and handle the situation personally.
Gravik planned a terrorist attack in Moscow and blame it on Americans Against Russia, so he tasked G'iah with procuring explosives from their operative that impersonated Vasily Poprishchin. She managed to evade the MI6 agents that were monitoring Poprishchin and collected the explosives from him, escaping before Fury and Talos confronted Poprishchin. G'iah was tailed by Hill, and although she managed to shake her off, she was found by Talos who told her that Gravik had been lying to her all this time and that he was the one who killed Soren. The revelation that Gravik is responsible for her mother's death made G'iah get in touch with Talos and inform him about the planned bombing in Moscow.[1]
Bombings[]
- "Several bombs exploded today at an annual celebration in Moscow, killing at least two thousand civilians. One suspect is currently in custody, identified as a leading member of the online fringe group, Americans Against Russia."
- ―Newscaster[src]
On Unity Day in Russia, Nick Fury, Maria Hill and Talos arrived at Red Square for a stakeout, before noticing G'iah carrying two backpacks that she marked, so Fury and others could see it with Infrared Glasses. Spotting the remaining couriers with backpacks, Fury, Hill and Talos went to pursuit through the crowd to the Vossoyedineniye Square, although eventually Fury lost track of the couriers, while Hill and Talos managed to spot Brogan who was impersonating Martin Wallace, and was carrying the bombs. However, noticing Hill following him, one of the couriers threw his backpack at her and she realized that the backpacks were empty and couriers were merely decoys.
Gravik triggers the explosion
Meanwhile, Fury was confronted by Gravik himself but before Fury could engage, Gravik detonated the bombs and caused a massive explosion at the square, killing multiple civilians. Fury tried to pursue Gravik in a subsequent chaos, but Gravik effortlessly evaded him and walked away through the crowd. He then assumed Fury's identity and approached Hill while she was trying to help the civilians, being able to shoot her in the stomach while she dropped her guard. Gravik then retreated as both continued to explode, while Fury watched Hill bleeding to death in his arms, before escaping from the authorities himself.[1]
Aftermath[]
Worldwide Reaction[]
- "Despite the outpouring of condemnation, all signs point towards imminent retaliation from Russia for what the Kremlin regards as an all-out declaration of war by the Americans."
- ―British Newscaster[src]
The terrorist attack caused a massive uproar all around the world, as Brogan was apprehended by the Police of Russia and the connection between the Americans Against Russia and the bombing was established. The Kremlin regarded the terrorist attack as an all-out war declaration by the United States, bringing their military forces in a state of combat readiness. The attack was massively condemned by the world governments, including the United Kingdom, as the member of the Skrull Council impersonated the Prime Minister Pamela Lawton. Another Council member that impersonated Sergio Caspani stated that NATO is gathering intel to handle the situation appropriately. The one who impersonated Chris Stearns on the contrary, provocatively dismissed the United States' involvement to destabilize the situation further.
Raava impersonates James Rhodes at the security summit
The European Union and the United Kingdom organized an emergency security summit in London and demanded the United States to accout for itself, considering the implications of the Americans Against Russia's supposed involvement. U.S. President James Ritson did not attent the summit, so Raava, who was impersonating James Rhodes, attended in his place and was informed that Nick Fury and Maria Hill were present during the bombing. Raava dismissed the accusations, claiming that the United States will not answer to the summit until any sustainable evidence of the American involvement is presented. Soon after the summit, Raava was contacted by Fury who was unaware of her impersonating Rhodes, informing her of the Skrull Resistance's invasion and requested the resources to take them down. Raava responded by claiming that Fury's demands are unreasonable and stripped him off any authority he had, warning him to stay out of this.[2]
Skrull Council Meeting[]
- "Recent acts of terror in cities across the globe, most notably in Moscow, severely undermine the stability that this Council seeks to preserve. The purpose of tonight is to determine what punishment, if any, should be meted out on the individual who has imperiled us all. You murdered over two thousand innocent humans. Children. And yet, you don't seem remotely remorseful."
- ―Shirley Sagar Skrull to Gravik[src]
In the wake of the bombing, Gravik attended the Skrull Council meeting, where Shirley Sagar Skrull stated that the Skrull Resistance's recent acts of terror undermine the peace between humans and Skrulls that the Council is trying to maintain in secret. Sagar claimed that Gravik's callous actions call for a punishment and Sergio Caspani Skrull questioned what gives Gravik the right to go against the Council's direct orders. Gravik argued that Nick Fury betrayed his own promise and left them to rot in humanity's shadow, so it is in his right to take over the Earth and make it Skrulls' new home. He claimed that humanity is doomed to self-destruct regardless, so bringing the war and taking over only makes sense, insisting that even the Avengers' possible involvement would not pose an issue.
The Skrull Council welcomes Gravik
Pamela Lawton Skrull echoed Gravik's sentiment, claiming that they are in the state of war, and nominated Gravik to join the Council as their new General. Caspani openly opposed the proposition, refusing to acknowledge Gravik's stance, but his outburst was not met with any support. Lawton, Chris Stearns Skrull, and Jack Hyuk-Bin Skrull endorced Gravik, so Caspani was forced to follow suit. Sagar refused to support their decision, recalling the despearate time Skrulls faced during the war with the Kree Empire, and was peacefully let go out of the Council. Sagar later contacted Talos and informed him of what happened in the Council, so Talos asked her to set up a meeting between him and Gravik at a public place, despite the risk of getting killed.[2]
Framing Nick Fury[]
- "Former S.H.I.E.L.D. Director, Nicholas Fury, is being sought for the murder of former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Maria Hill as officials investigate Fury's possible involvement in the failed attempt on President ritson's life."
- ―Newscaster[src]
When Nick Fury figured out that James Rhodes was replaced by an impostor, he approached Raava to talk in regards of the Skrull operative close to President James Ritson and urged her to step aside and let him deal with it. In response, Raava showed Fury a footage of Gravik killing Maria Hill during the Unity Day bombing, while bearing the likeness of Fury, implying that she might hand it over to the press if Fury keeps going.[3] Fury ignored the threat and intervened when the Skrull Resistance made an attempt on Ritson's life, so when Raava arrived at King George VII Private Hospital where Ritson was, she told him that the footage was about to go public. Shortly after, the authorities launched an investigation into Fury in regards of his involvement in the bombing, Hill's killing and the attack on Ritson.[4]