U.S. Embassy in Moscow warns of “imminent” extremist attacks

The U.S. Embassy in Moscow on Friday issued a security alert warning U.S. citizens in Moscow to avoid large crowds for the next two days. It said it was “monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings,” including concerts.

What is the current alert status for U.S. citizens regarding Russia? The U.S. State Department has issued a “Do Not Travel” warning for Russia and urged Americans in the country to “depart Russia by commercial options still available.” It says U.S. citizens could be singled out for harassment or face “unpredictable consequences” provoked by the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It also warned Americans about “the risk of wrongful detentions.”

Any details on what this attack would be if it comes? The U.S. Embassy didn’t provide specific details on what the attack would look like. In its latest country terrorism report for Russia, the State Department said Russia has used the threat of extremist attacks to suppress political opposition. The State Department in 2020 also issued a report crediting Russia with myriad avenues and proxy entities it uses to spread disinformation and propaganda—including through media outlets and social media platforms.

Dig deeper: Read William Inboden’s column in WORLD Opinions about the “most predictable” death of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s biggest opponent, Alexei Navalny.