The U.S. Embassy in Moscow warned Americans to avoid going to concerts in Moscow just weeks before gunmen launched an attack at a concert venue on Friday.
Several gunmen opened fire at Crocus City Hall, a large music venue in the Moscow area, leaving an unknown number of victims injured. Many details about the shooting, including who the suspected shooters are and what their motive may have been, remained unclear as responders were still at the scene.
Just weeks prior on March 7, the U.S. Embassy issued a warning telling Americans to not go to concert venues.
“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 alert reads.
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The alert urged Americans to avoid crowds, monitor local media for updates and be aware of their surroundings in Russia.
It remained unclear what prompted the warning, and whether it was related to the attack on Friday. It also remained unknown if any Americans were present at the concert.
Americans have long been warned against traveling to Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine, which has exacerbated tensions between Moscow and the U.S., as the Biden administration has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine, sending it billions of dollars of humanitarian and military aid.
Other Western embassies issued similar warnings.
Russian President Vladimr Putin, however, dismissed the alerts as an attempt to intimidate Russians, the AP reported.
Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow for comment via email.
What We Know About the Crocus City Hall Attack
The Kremlin said that at least 40 people were killed and more than 100 people were injured in the attack, according to the AP. The shooting occurred ahead of a concert for Russian rock band Picnic, and the venue, located in the western outskirts of Moscow, is able to accommodate more than 6,000 people.
According to an RIA Novosti report one report, the suspected shooters also “threw a grenade or incendiary bomb.” Unverified videos posted to social media showed flames and billows of smoke at the venue. Fire crews were dumping water on the burning building to put out fires, RIA Novosti reported.
Meanwhile, Russian news agency Tass reported that the shooters used automatic weapons. Law enforcement had arrived at the scene of the shooting, according to the agency. Andrey Vorobyov, governor of the Moscow region, also went to the scene.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin described the attack as a “terrible tragedy” and that he is “sorry for the loved ones of the victims.”
White House national security adviser John Kirby responded to the shooting, describing images that have emerged online as “just horrible” and “hard to watch.”
“Our thoughts are going to be with the victims of this terrible, terrible shooting attack. There are some moms and dads and brothers and sisters and sons and daughters who haven’t gotten the news yet. This is going to be a tough day,” he said.
He said there is “no indication” that Ukraine is connected to the shooting, but added the news “just broke” and that U.S. authorities were still looking into the attack.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.