Russia's FSB: Assassination attempts against defense officials foiled
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The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) says "four Russian citizens involved in the preparation of the aforementioned assassinations were detained."
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People walk by the main building of the Russian Federal Security Service, former KGB headquarters, in Lubyanka Square in Moscow, Russia, on January 27, 2015 (AP)
The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Thursday that it had thwarted a plot by Ukrainian intelligence services to assassinate several senior Russian Defense Ministry officials involved in the military operation in Ukraine, along with their family members.
The FSB said in a statement that "the Federal Security Service of Russia has prevented a series of terrorist attacks planned by the Ukrainian special services against high-ranking officials of the Russian Defense Ministry, taking part in the special military operation, and against their relatives. As a result of the measures taken, four Russian citizens involved in the preparation of the aforementioned assassinations were detained."
In addition, the security service said that a Moscow resident recruited by the Ukrainian special services to gather intelligence on the targets was identified.
The Ukrainian special services delivered bomb components to Russia in household appliances, tools, and car parts, the statement read, adding that self-made bombs and communication devices used in criminal activities were seized.
"An explosive device, disguised as a charging device (power bank) with magnets attached to it, was to be planted under the service vehicle of a high-ranking executive in the Russian Defense Ministry, driven by the executive's close relative," the FSB said, adding that the explosion itself was planned to be set off remotely from Ukraine's territory.
In connection with another military personnel, the statement confirmed that a "terrorist attack" was planned involving two Russian citizens—now in custody—who were tasked with delivering a homemade explosive device disguised as a document folder.
The device was intended to be retrieved from a hideout in the Moscow region, based on coordinates provided by a Ukrainian national residing in Poland.
"Based on the facts gathered by the Federal Security Service, criminal cases have been opened ... the detainees are charged with direct involvement in illicit trafficking of explosives and explosive devices, preparation of terrorist acts, as well as committing high treason. The punishment for these offenses includes life imprisonment," the statement read.
FSB foils attack targeting defense industry leader
This statement comes after Russia's FSB announced on Wednesday that it had thwarted a "terrorist attack" planned by Ukrainian special services in the Moscow Region against a senior executive from a defense industry enterprise that supplies products to the Russian Ministry of Defense.
"The Federal Security Service of Russia has prevented a terrorist attack in the Moscow Region planned by the Ukrainian special services against one of the heads of a defense industry enterprise of Russia, which makes products for the Russian Ministry of Defense," the FSB stated.
As part of the operation, seven Russians living in the Moscow, Sverdlovsk regions, and Perm Territory were arrested, including three minors. The group had been involved in conducting surveillance on the target's vehicle parking area, assembling an improvised explosive device (IED) from materials retrieved from a concealed location, and planting it under the vehicle to carry out the attack, the statement pointed out.
"The group members are currently giving confessions and cooperating with the investigation," the FSB said.
Ukrainian special services used the Element messenger to communicate with the group, providing them with instructions for the attack, according to one of the detainees, one of the detainees mentioned during the questioning broadcast by the Rossiya 24 channel.
The broadcaster, citing FSB data, said that the attack was intended to be framed as a dispute over an unpaid debt to an unnamed "client".
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