Russia, US Continue to Cooperate Over Terrorism Threat Despite Tensions

Russia and the US both are interested in fighting terrorism and intend to continue cooperation on this issue despite tensions over Ukrainian crisis, US State State Department announced on Friday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The State Department determined that “mechanisms for communication and cooperation remained” despite the suspension of some bilateral counterterrorism programs due to Russian and US differences over the conflict in Ukraine. This cooperation includes Russia’s counterterrorism role in multilateral bodies.

Russia was cooperating with the US investigation of the Boston Marathon bombing, in which ethnic Chechens were involved, the State Department said.

Political relations between the United States and Russia deteriorated in 2014 over the crisis in Ukraine. A number of bilateral contacts and programs between the countries have been frozen as a result.

Islamist and separatist terrorism stemming from the North Caucasus continue to be the main terror threat Russia was facing in 2014, according to the US State Department’s annual terrorism report released on Friday.

“Separatists and violent Islamist extremists calling for a pan-Islamic Caliphate within the North Caucasus constituted the main terrorist threats.”

The report added that Russia recognized the Islamic State as a terrorist organization.