The Russian Embassy in Washington has stated that it did not receive any warnings from the US about a potential terror attack in Moscow. This information was shared by Ambassador Anatoly Antonov to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. The US diplomatic mission had advised Americans to steer clear of large gatherings in early March due to reports indicating that extremists were planning to target such events in Moscow.
Despite these warnings, Russian President Putin dismissed them as 'provocative' and 'outright blackmail' during a meeting with the FSB. Antonov confirmed that the embassy did not receive any advance notifications or messages regarding the potential threat. He mentioned that there were no contacts with the White House or the State Department on this matter.
Following the recent attack at Crocus, Antonov expressed concerns about the breakdown of communication between the US and Russia in combating terrorism. He emphasized that the severed ties were not Moscow's fault. Antonov recalled how Russia had offered assistance to the US in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks, highlighting that efforts were made to collaborate in the fight against terrorism.
Antonov lamented the current state of affairs, stating, 'It's not our fault that all of this has been destroyed today.' The lack of coordination and information sharing between the two nations has raised questions about the effectiveness of their counterterrorism efforts and the need for improved communication channels.
