The U.S. embassy in Russia warned that “extremists” had plans for an imminent attack in Moscow, hours after Russian security services said they had foiled a planned shooting at a synagogue by a cell from the Afghan arm of Islamic State.
The embassy, which has repeatedly urged all U.S. citizens to leave Russia immediately, gave no further details about the nature of the threat, but said people should avoid concerts and crowds.
It issued its warning several hours after Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, said it had foiled an attack on a synagogue in Moscow by a cell ofIslamic State. It was unclear if the two statements were linked.
The US president’s statement comes a day after a senior Russian officer warned of a full-scale war in Europe, as Sweden joined Nato.
Colonel-General Vladimir Zarudnitsky, head of the Russian army’s military academy’s comments were reported by the RIA state-owned news agency.