U.S. embassy warns of imminent attack in Moscow by 'extremists'

Reuters:  The U.S. embassy in Russia warned that "extremists" had imminent plans for an attack in Moscow, hours after Russian security services said they had foiled a planned shooting at a synagogue by a cell from the Afghan arm of Islamic State.

The embassy, which has repeatedly urged all U.S. citizens to leave Russia immediately, gave no further details about the nature of the threat, but said people should avoid concerts and crowds and be aware of their surroundings.

"The Embassy is monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and U.S. citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours," the embassy said on its website.

It issued its warning several hours after Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, said it had foiled an attack on a synagogue in Moscow by a cell of the militant Sunni Muslim group Islamic State.

It was unclear if the two statements were linked.

U.S. allies including Britain, Canada, South Korea and Latvia repeated the U.S. warning and told their citizens not to travel to Russia.

Most Western countries advise against all travel to Russia and say their citizens should leave. The U.S. has the highest level of warning for Russia - red "4 - Do not travel" - the same level as Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and South Sudan and Iran.

The war in Ukraine has triggered the deepest crisis in Russia's relations with the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

The Kremlin, which accuses the U.S. of fighting against Russia by supporting Ukraine with money, weapons and intelligence, says relations with Washington have probably never been worse.