Russia's FSB foils Ukrainian 'terrorist attack' on Crimean bridge
3 Min Read
Russia’s Federal Security Service say the driver of the explosive-laden vehicle was supposed to become an "unwitting suicide bomber."
-
The Kerch Strait Bridge, connecting the Russian mainland and Crimean peninsula, in 2023. Ukraine first attacked it the previous October, with a truck bomb. (Associated Press)
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on August 18 that it had prevented a terrorist attack plotted by Ukrainian special services against the Crimean Bridge. The agency intercepted and neutralized an electric Chevrolet Volt rigged with a powerful improvised explosive device.
According to the FSB, the car bomb was intended to cross into Russia’s southern Krasnodar Region from Georgia. It had been transported from Ukraine via multiple third countries. Ukrainian operatives planned to load the vehicle onto a transporter truck before handing it off to another individual who would unknowingly drive it to Crimea via the Crimean Bridge, becoming an unwitting suicide bomber.
"A vehicle with a high-power improvised explosive device arrived in Russia from Ukraine in transit through a number of countries. It crossed the Russian-Georgian border at the Verkhniy Lars international checkpoint in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania and was supposed to proceed to Krasnodar Krai on a car transporter driven by a private driver," the FSB statement said.
Per the FSB, the Ukrainian plot was to deliver the explosive-laden vehicle to another diver "who was supposed to ride in it to Russia’s Crimea via the Crimean Bridge and become an unwitting suicide bomber."
The Chevrolet Volt was reportedly packed with approximately 130kg of Finnish-made explosives. The vehicle’s movement through various countries demonstrates the complexity and covert nature of the operation, which Russia attributes directly to Ukrainian special services.
🇷🇺🇺🇦🇺🇸 Kiev Plots Terrorist Attack on Crimean Bridge While Zelensky Attends Ceasefire Talks in Washington
— DD Geopolitics (@DD_Geopolitics) August 18, 2025
FSB foiled another Ukrainian terror attempt on the Crimean Bridge. A Chevrolet Volt packed with a powerful explosive entered Russia from Ukraine through several countries,… pic.twitter.com/LWUI955QIk
FSB officers were able to identify and detain all individuals involved in the vehicle's transport and preparation before the car could reach its target.
Read more: Zelensky, Trump to discuss path to peace in Ukraine amid ongoing war
FSB identifies suspects and thwarts attack
“Despite all the trickery by the Ukrainian terrorists, the FSB officers managed to promptly uncover their plans, identify and defuse the explosive device… and also detain all those involved in its delivery to the territory of our country,” the agency said in a statement.
Interrogation of the driver, who was paid $2,500 to deliver the car to Crimea, revealed that he was aware of working for Ukraine, though he claimed ignorance about the presence of explosives.
This is the second known Ukrainian attempt to target the 19-kilometer-long Crimean Bridge in 2025. In April, Belarusian security services intercepted a minivan loaded with over 500 kg of synthetic explosives. That vehicle was also bound for the same strategic bridge connecting Krasnodar Region and Crimea.
Political Context: Ukraine, Russia, and Ongoing Tensions
Senior Russian diplomat Rodion Miroshnik described the foiled attack as “a new attempt by Ukraine and Co. to commit a terrorist act as a provocation to disrupt negotiations and the search for a peaceful resolution” of the ongoing conflict.
Amid these developments, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House later on Monday. The meeting follows Friday’s summit in Alaska between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which both leaders emphasized the importance of resolving the Russia-Ukraine war through diplomatic channels.
Read more: Europe’s arms industry booms as war production triples: FT
