The US Embassy in Moscow warned of possible terrorist attacks in Russia

The United States Embassy in Moscow has warned of possible terrorist attacks that allegedly could occur in Russia in the near future. Post posted on site diplomatic missions.

“According to media reports, attacks on shopping malls, railway stations, subway stations, and other crowded places are possible,” US diplomats said. Major cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as areas of “high tension” along the Russian-Ukrainian border, are at risk, they said. They did not specify which media outlets reported on the possible attacks.

In the same message, Americans living in Russia were urged to think about a plan to leave the country that would not depend on assistance from the US government. Citizens were also advised to follow the information in the media, avoid crowds, be vigilant, especially in tourist areas, and also carry documents.

Unusual message

Former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul said warning US diplomats of possible attacks is very unusual. “I can’t recall such a message,” he said. The only exception McFaul cited was when there was a demonstration near the residence at Spaso House and US diplomats advised people to avoid the area.

In turn, the Americans themselves doubted the words of the embassy about possible threats. So, one of the users asked on the basis of what data this information was posted. Another user suggested that media sources were the source of intelligence for the State Department. Another user said that US citizens in Russia should not count on Washington’s help in evacuating, as the situation with Afghanistan clearly showed this.

The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, even wondered if the Americans had passed this data on to their Russian colleagues.

Possible “invasion”

Information about possible threats was published against the backdrop of reports in the US media that the Russian command received orders to launch an “invasion” of Ukraine. In particular, this was stated by national security correspondent of the American television channel CBS News David Martin. According to him, the commanders on the ground were tasked with developing specific maneuvers in their sectors of the battlefield.

A source close to the Russian defense department said that the Ministry of Defense considered the sensational statement of the TV channel to be stupid. In turn, Maria Zakharova recalled that a similar “action plan on the battlefield” had already been published by the German media. Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov also once again stated that Moscow has no plans to attack Ukraine.

Kiev and Western countries accuse Russia of pulling troops to the borders of Ukraine and preparing a military offensive over the past few months. Moscow has repeatedly denied the existence of such aggressive plans. According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, NATO’s statements about the impending “invasion” are alarmist.