Kazakhstan on Saturday confirmed the deaths of two of its citizens in an anti-terrorism operation in Russia that Moscow claims prevented an attack against a synagogue in the Russian capital.
Russia's FSB security service on Thursday confirmed an operation against a suspected branch of the Islamic State (IS) militant group had taken place in the Kaluga region southwest of Moscow.
Russian media had claimed that two suspects of Kazakh origin who arrived in Russia in February were killed in the operation.
"The Kazakh citizenship and arrival in Russia by these two people is confirmed," said the Kazakh National Security Committee (KNB) in a statement released on Saturday.
The KNB said that authorities in the former Soviet republic had opened an investigation in "close" collaboration with the FSB.
The FSB on Thursday claimed to have put an end to the activities of a cell of the Islamic State-Khorasan Province branch that is mostly active in Afghanistan.
The U.S. Embassy in Moscow on Thursday had advised its citizens to avoid large groupings in the Russian capital for 48 hours, warning that "extremists" were imminently planning something with the Russian presidential election just days away.
Russian authorities announced last Sunday that they had killed six suspected IS militants in the Caucasus republic of Ingushetia.
IS has limited influence in Russia despite several attacks in recent years, particularly in the Muslim-majority republics in the North Caucasus: Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan.
Close to 4,500 Russians, mostly from the North Caucasus, have fought alongside IS, according to official figures.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
