Russia's foreign spy service said that it had received intelligence that the US military was grooming Islamist militants to attack Russia. The Russian foreign intelligence service, known by the initials SVR, is headed by an ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin- Sergei Naryshkin. The agency was once part of the Soviet-era KGB.
It said that intelligence showed that 60 such militants from groups affiliated with Islamic State and al Qaeda had been recruited by the US and were undergoing training at an American base in Syria, Reuters reported.
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"They will be tasked with preparing and carrying out terrorist attacks against diplomats, civil servants, law enforcement officers and personnel of the armed forces," said the Foreign Intelligence Service.
"Special attention is paid to attracting immigrants from the Russian North Caucasus and Central Asia," the statement added without publishing the intelligence behind the claim.
The agency's head Sergei Naryshkin met CIA Director William Burns last year in Ankara. This comes as Russian defence ministry said that its troops have advanced 2 kilometres to the west in four days along Ukraine's frontline.
"The Russian servicemen broke the enemy's resistance and advanced several kilometres deeper into its echeloned defence," the Interfax news agency reported citing a statement by the Russian defence ministry.
{{/usCountry}}"The Russian servicemen broke the enemy's resistance and advanced several kilometres deeper into its echeloned defence," the Interfax news agency reported citing a statement by the Russian defence ministry.
{{/usCountry}}“In four days the front moved 2 kilometres to the west,” it added.