Russia detains minor over alleged Moscow attack plot after US warning

Russian authorities have detained a teenager suspected of planning an attack at a popular Moscow park after receiving a warning from the United States, according to Russia’s Interfax news agency, citing the Federal Security Service (FSB).

The FSB said the suspect, a Russian citizen, posted photos on TikTok wearing a balaclava and tactical clothing and holding what appeared to be an automatic weapon, Interfax reported on Sunday.

The suspect, who has not been identified, also reportedly shared photos taken at the Tsaritsyno Museum Reserve in southern Moscow with the caption: “I found a place.”

The FSB said a search of the suspect’s home uncovered the clothing and accessories seen in the photos, Interfax reported. The security service also said that the teen’s phone showed searches related to terrorist attacks and mass killings, as well as a subscription to a neo-Nazi Telegram channel.

The detention came after the US embassy in Moscow issued a security alert on Saturday warning of a “credible threat of a mass casualty event” at the Tsaritsyno Museum Reserve, a popular palace and park complex.

The embassy urged people to avoid the area and said the US government was coordinating with Russian authorities on a response.

The park was temporarily closed on Saturday following the warning.

“We are grateful to the American side for providing the information,” the FSB said in its statement.

Russia’s Investigative Committee is now considering what legal action to take against the suspect, the FSB said.

The US has previously warned Russia about potential attacks, including in March 2024, weeks before an attack on a Moscow concert hall by an affiliate of the ISIL group that killed more than 140 people.

The latest warning comes despite longstanding tensions between Washington and Moscow over Russia’s war in Ukraine.