Russia's FSB Confirms US Tip on Planned Terror Attack in Moscow

Russia's FSB says it received information from the United States about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow. RIA Novosti reported the statement on Saturday evening. “Relevant work is being carried out,” the agency said.

The US Embassy in Moscow had earlier warned of a “credible threat of a mass casualty event” on Oct. 31 at the Tsaritsyno Museum Reserve. It urged Americans to avoid the area and said it was coordinating with Russian authorities.

What the FSB Says

The FSB said the information came from the American side through “partner channels.” RIA published the statement at 6:04 p.m. Moscow time. Meduza also reported the confirmation.

The FSB did not say when or where the attack is planned. It did not mention Tsaritsyno or describe what the information contains.

Clash Report found no reports of detentions or other FSB operations at the time of writing.

What the Embassy Says

The embassy posted its security alert on its website on Saturday. It gives the site's address as Dolskaya Ulitsa 1 in Moscow. It tells Americans to avoid the location “TODAY,” stay alert and avoid crowds.

It also advises them to review their personal security plans, keep phones charged and carry identification. Americans are told to monitor local media and enroll in the State Department's STEP program.

The alert does not describe the nature or source of the threat. Clash Report found no further details from US officials at the time of writing.

Russia's Response

Before the FSB statement, Russian authorities had not commented on the warning, Meduza reports. The museum-reserve told the Telegram channel Mash that it had no information about a threat. It said it was operating as usual.

The Moscow Times reports that concerts were scheduled at the site for 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Several exhibitions and workshops were also planned during the day. Clash Report found no confirmed reports of events being canceled or the site being closed.

Echoes of the Crocus Warning

On March 7, 2024, the embassy warned that “extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts.” It advised Americans to avoid large gatherings for 48 hours. That alert named no venue.

On March 22, 2024, gunmen attacked the Crocus City Hall concert venue near Moscow. The Islamic State claimed the attack, and US officials blamed its Afghanistan-based branch, ISIS-K. Reuters reports that 149 people were killed.

Washington said it had passed the threat information to Russia under its “duty to warn” policy. FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov later said the US information “was of a general nature,” Interfax reported.

This time the circumstances differ. The US alert names a specific site and date, and the FSB has publicly confirmed receiving information.

What Remains Unclear

The US has not said who is behind the threat or how it learned of it. The FSB has not said whether its information concerns Tsaritsyno. Clash Report found no confirmed reports of an incident at the site at the time of writing.

The United States still lists Russia at Level 4, “Do Not Travel,” citing terrorism among other risks. Washington and Moscow keep some direct channels open. Clash Report reported on CIA Director John Ratcliffe's unannounced visit to Moscow in August.

Moscow also faces a separate threat from the war in Ukraine. In June, Clash Report reported Ukraine's largest drone attack on the city in two years.