The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has told people to stay away from one of the city's best-known landmarks, citing a credible threat of mass casualties.
On Saturday, 31 October, the embassy issued a security alert saying it was aware of a "credible threat of a mass casualty event" that same day at the Tsaritsyno Museum Reserve, a historic palace and park complex in southern Moscow first built as a summer residence for Empress Catherine II.
The alert named the exact address, Dolskaya Ulitsa 1, and urged people to avoid the area, stay alert and keep away from crowds. It said the U.S. government was coordinating with the relevant Russian authorities on a response.
Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) told the state news agency TASS that it had received information from the American side about preparations for a terrorist attack in Moscow, and that "appropriate" measures were being taken.
At first, a museum representative told Russian media that staff knew of no threat and the site was operating as usual. Later, Russian outlets reported that the complex had been closed "for technical reasons", with police on the grounds and access restricted.
The embassy gave no details about who might be behind the threat. In the latest reports, no attack linked to the warning had taken place and no arrests had been announced.
The alert carries extra weight because of 2024. In early March that year, the U.S. Embassy warned of plans to target large gatherings in Moscow. On 22 March, gunmen attacked Crocus City Hall outside the capital, killing 145 people. Sergei Naryshkin, head of Russia's foreign intelligence service, later said the U.S. information had been too general to identify the attackers.
Should warnings like this be made public, or handled quietly between governments? Share your view below.
#Moscow #Russia #USEmbassy #Tsaritsyno #Security
Post a Comment