Warnings ignored: U.S. alerted Russia to threat before Moscow attack
5:11 AM EDT, March 25, 2024
Americans assert that they warned the Russians about a potential threat several weeks before the attack in Krasnogorsk near Moscow, but the Kremlin seemingly ignored these warnings. Contrarily, Anatoly Antonov, the Russian ambassador in Washington, claims that Russia did not receive any warnings from the United States.
Several reports by Russian media and government representatives are regarded as propaganda, a component of the information warfare undertaken by the Russian Federation.
Despite the warnings from Americans, Putin disregarded the alerts, as revealed by media outlets following the terrorist attack in Krasnogorsk. The White House has confirmed that the United States had indeed warned Russia about the impending danger weeks in advance.
"At the beginning of this month, the US government obtained information regarding a planned terrorist attack in Moscow, potentially targeting large gatherings, including concerts. We relayed this information to the Russian authorities," stated National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson.
Watson explained that the dissemination of this information aligns with the United States' longstanding "duty to warn" policy.
Furthermore, Americans are convinced that the warning was directly conveyed to Vladimir Putin, who reportedly dismissed the American warnings as "Western blackmail," an attempt "to intimidate and destabilize Russian society."
Russian ambassador denies receiving any warning
The Russian perspective offers a contrasting narrative. According to polskieradio24, Russian ambassador in Washington, Anatoly Antonov, insists that he was not informed of any warning from the Americans.
It’s important to note that on March 8, the State Department advised its citizens of a potential attack in Moscow, expected to occur within 48 hours, stating, "The embassy is monitoring reports that extremists plan a near-future attack on large gatherings in Moscow, including concerts."
In an interview with Russian news agency RIA Novosti, Antonov also mentioned that the cooperation between Washington and Moscow in counter-terrorism efforts has collapsed, and he points out that Moscow is not to blame.
The narrative diverges further when it comes to assigning blame for the attack. While Kremlin officials suggest Ukraine orchestrated the deadly assault on the Crocus City Hall concert hall, Adrienne Watson and United States Vice President Kamala Harris assert there is no evidence supporting Ukraine's involvement. The attack was claimed by a faction of the so-called Islamic State, which shared photos purportedly taken by the attackers.
A reminder: On March 24, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation announced that the death toll from the terrorist attack in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, had climbed to 137, with 180 individuals injured.
