The United States Embassy in Moscow warned on 31 October 2026 of a credible threat of a mass casualty event that day at the Tsaritsyno Museum Reserve in Moscow, and advised Americans to avoid the site and the surrounding area. The embassy said the United States government was coordinating with appropriate Russian authorities on a response.
In its security alert, the embassy gave the address as Dolskaya Ulitsa 1, Moscow, and urged people to stay alert, avoid crowds, keep mobile phones charged and carry identification. It also advised Americans to review their personal security plans, monitor local media and enrol in the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program for health and security updates. The alert did not name any suspected perpetrator or describe the nature or source of the threat.
Russia’s Federal Security Service later confirmed that it had received information from the United States about preparations for a terrorist attack in Moscow, according to reports by Reuters, RIA Novosti and TASS. The service said it had received the information through established partner channels and that appropriate measures were being taken. It did not publicly name Tsaritsyno, identify any suspect or describe what the information contained.
Reports citing Russian law enforcement agencies said the Tsaritsyno Museum Reserve was temporarily closed and access to its park was restricted after the warning. The reserve, a historic palace and park complex in southern Moscow founded in 1775 as Empress Catherine II’s summer home, is a popular tourist destination. Its grounds cover a large area south of the capital and have attracted millions of visitors in recent years.
As of Saturday evening, no incident, detention or casualty at the site had been reported, and no date had been given for the museum to reopen. The episode was a threat warning, not a confirmed attack, and neither government publicly linked the shared information to a specific group or method.
The warning drew attention because of a previous alert in March 2024, when the United States Embassy warned that extremists had imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, including concerts. That warning came about two weeks before the attack on Crocus City Hall on 22 March 2024, in which more than 140 people were killed and hundreds more were wounded.
The United States currently lists Russia at Level 4, or Do Not Travel, citing terrorism among other risks. The embassy’s alert for 31 October was limited to that day and to the named location, and it advised Americans in Russia to remain vigilant and to follow guidance from local authorities while the situation was assessed.
