Attack in Moscow: Did Russia ignore warnings from the United States?

The recent attack in Moscow has left the international community in a state of shock and has raised difficult questions about Russia's possible responsibility for the tragedy. Did the Russian government ignore warnings from the United States about an imminent extremist attack in the Russian capital? On March 7, the United States issued an unusually specific warning to its citizens mentioning the possibility of a large-scale attack in Moscow, carried out by extremists, with a focus on events with large crowds such as concerts. This alert, which advised to avoid crowded places for the next 48 hours, gained significance after the attack on March 22, in which the Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility. In addition to the public warning, the United States claimed to have shared this information with Russian authorities, in line with its policy of "duty to warn" even among non-allied countries. However, the rhetoric of distrust between the two countries, exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine, may have influenced Russia's perception of these warnings, interpreting them as an attempt at blackmail rather than a legitimate alert. Russian President Vladimir Putin, in his statements prior to the attack, had mentioned the alleged adoption of "terrorist tactics" by Ukraine and denounced Western warnings as attempts to destabilize Russia. These positions could have contributed to an atmosphere of distrust that affected the perception of the received alerts. While the exact nature of the information shared by the United States has not been revealed, there is a possibility that Russia did not take the warnings about a possible IS attack in Moscow seriously. The extremist group's connection to previous attacks against U.S. interests and its involvement in the Kabul attack in 2021 and others in Iraq, highlight the threat it poses. The question that arises then is whether Russia's lack of action in response to these specific warnings could have contributed to the tragic outcome in Moscow. Political rhetoric and distrust among world powers should not take precedence over the safety of civilian populations, and it is crucial that the facts be clarified to prevent tragedies like this from recurring in the future.