International cooperation

US provided information on terrorist plotters in Russia, says FSB chief

Washington provided Moscow with information on a number of individuals who plotted to commit terrorism-related crimes in Russia, Director of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) Alexander Bortnikov told a press briefing after the 18th session of the heads of intelligence, security and law enforcement agencies that are partnering with the FSB.

"Not so long ago, the Americans tipped us off about certain individuals and their plans to carry out terrorist attacks in our country," he said, when speaking about cooperation with the United States. Bortnikov declined to specify when Russia had received the information from the US but pointed out that it hadn’t been the first time that such information had been provided.

In 2017, the US helped in the investigation of a plot to carry out a terrorist attack in the Kazan Cathedral in Russia’s St. Petersburg, while Moscow assisted in investigating the Boston Marathon blasts. According to Bortnikov, Russia maintains counterterrorism cooperation with other countries’ intelligence agencies as well. "We continue activities in this area, engaging intelligence agencies of the Commonwealth [of Independent States], European and Middle East countries," he emphasized.