US Embassy warns of a credible 'mass casualty' threat at a Moscow museum today as Russian security services respond

The US Embassy in Moscow posted a public security alert on Saturday warning of a credible threat of a mass casualty event at the Tsaritsyno Museum Reserve, a historic palace and park in the south of the capital that attracts millions of visitors. The embassy told Americans to avoid the site immediately, keep phones charged and stay away from crowds. Russia's Federal Security Service confirmed it had been notified and was taking appropriate measures.

The Tsaritsyno Museum Reserve, founded in 1775 as Catherine the Great's summer residence, drew over two million visitors in 2022 alone.

The US Embassy issued a near-identical warning before the 2024 Crocus City Hall attack, in which over 130 people were killed in the deadliest terror attack in Europe in nearly two decades.

The alert comes as Russia-Ukraine tensions escalate sharply, with Ukraine striking a southern Russian oil refinery on Friday and Russia killing at least 27 Ukrainian civilians in drone and missile strikes on Thursday.