Russian Embassy in US says it did not receive notification of impending terrorist attack

 

The Russian Embassy in Washington says it has received no warning from the US about a possible terrorist attack in Moscow, Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti on Sunday.

The US diplomatic mission warned Americans in early March to "avoid large gatherings" due to reports that "extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow."

Earlier this week Putin rejected those warnings and told the FSB that the embassy warnings were "provocative" and "sheer blackmail."

“We did not receive any information or messages in advance,” Antonov told RIA.

"We looked into it, but ... I had no contact with the White House or the State Department on this issue," he said.

In light of Friday's attack on the Krokus, Antonov told RIA Novosti that contacts between the US and the Russian Federation in the fight against terrorism have been "destroyed", adding that Moscow was not at fault.

“I always remind the Americans that our President was the first one, who extended his hand towards the Americans in 2001 and declared his readiness to provide assistance. And something worked, this worked... and it's not our fault that all this has been destroyed today,'' he said.