Washington, DC – The Russian Embassy in Washington responded to claims made by US authorities regarding a potential terror attack in Moscow, stating that they did not receive any prior warnings from the US. Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov addressed these concerns during an interview with Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.
According to reports, the US diplomatic mission had urged Americans to avoid large gatherings in Moscow at the beginning of March, citing intelligence about extremist threats targeting such events. However, President Putin dismissed these warnings earlier this week, calling them “provocative” and “outright blackmail” during a meeting with the FSB.
Antonov emphasized that the Russian Embassy did not receive any advance notifications or messages regarding the alleged terror threat in Moscow. He noted that there were no contacts with the White House or the State Department on this issue, highlighting a lack of communication between the two countries on security matters.
In the aftermath of the recent attack at Crocus, Antonov expressed concerns about the deteriorating cooperation between the US and Russia in combating terrorism. He pointed out that the breakdown in relations was not Moscow’s fault, mentioning past efforts by Russia to offer assistance to the US in addressing these threats.
“I always reminded the Americans that our president was the first to extend a hand of help to them back in 2001. Something worked then, but it’s not our fault that all of this has been destroyed today,” Antonov stated during the interview with RIA Novosti, underscoring the current strain in US-Russia counterterrorism efforts.