The U.S. Embassy on Thursday denied media reports that said a man who tried to break into its Moscow compound a day earlier had been naked.
"Lots of crazy stuff out there about a 'naked intruder,'" embassy spokesman Will Stevens said on his Twitter account. "It's not true. He was fully clothed."
Earlier Thursday, news agency Interfax cited an unidentified law enforcement official as saying that a man wearing no clothes had tried to break into the U.S. Embassy compound on Novinsky Bulvar.
The "naked" man reportedly told police he was being followed and was attempting to seek refuge in the embassy, Interfax said.
Stevens confirmed a man had tried to enter the compound on Wednesday evening, adding that "security forces responded immediately and the man was apprehended."
"Clothes on or no?" Twitter user Alex44 asked, just to make sure.
To which the spokesman replied: "Definitely fully clothed."
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.
