US EMBASSY WARNS OF MASS CASUALTY THREAT AT MOSCOW MUSEUM

The US Embassy in Moscow warned on Saturday, 31 October, of a "credible threat of a mass casualty event" at the Tsaritsyno Museum Reserve. The alert gave the address as Dolskaya Ulitsa 1 in southern Moscow and stated that the threat concerned that day. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) confirmed receiving intelligence from the United States via Washington-Moscow partner channels regarding preparations for a terrorist attack. The FSB stated: "We have received information from U.S. partners regarding plans for a terrorist attack in Moscow. We are taking appropriate action." The embassy added that US officials were coordinating with Russian authorities.

The US Embassy urged American citizens to avoid the site, avoid crowds, monitor their surroundings, and stay alert. The advisory also asked citizens to carry identification, review security plans, and charge mobile phones and spare batteries. The embassy named the Tsaritsyno complex as the target, whereas the FSB did not specify a target, time, or location. Neither agency disclosed who planned the plot, what method they might use, how officials obtained the intelligence, or whether police detained any suspects.

Russian law enforcement agencies stated that the museum closed temporarily and that authorities restricted park access, while the US notice did not state whether officials prevented an attack. The 18th-century Tsaritsyno estate originally served as a residence for Empress Catherine II, and its palace, gardens, and parkland attract visitors. Moscow deputy mayor Natalya Sergunina said in 2023 that more than two million people visited the site in 2022. The warning recalls a US alert that preceded the 2024 Crocus City Hall attack, though no public evidence links the cases.