MOSCOW (Reuters) – The U.S. Embassy in Russia has advised American citizens to avoid large gatherings in Moscow, citing reports that extremists are planning an imminent attack.
The embassy, which has repeatedly asked U.S. citizens to leave Russia, gave no further details on the nature of the threat but advised avoiding crowds and being aware of your surroundings. .
The warning comes hours after Russian intelligence services (FSB) said they had foiled an attack on a synagogue in Moscow by an Islamic State (IS) group cell, although the link between the two events has not been confirmed. established.
The war in Ukraine has sparked the most serious crisis in relations between Russia and the West since the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, with the Kremlin saying relations with the United States have never been worse.
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The FSB said an Afghan branch of the group, known as the Islamic State in Khorasan, operated in Russia’s Kaluga region and sought to establish a caliphate in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Iran.
It first appeared in eastern Afghanistan in late 2014 and has developed a reputation for extreme brutality.
The cell “was preparing to attack the faithful of a synagogue using firearms”, according to the FSB, which said it neutralized the fighters with return fire.
“Firearms, ammunition, as well as components for making an improvised explosive device were found and seized,” the intelligence service added.
(Report by Guy Faulconbridge, French version Corentin Chappron, Alban Kacher, edited by Kate Entringer)
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