Russian FSB thwarts Ukrainian attack on nuclear power plants
FSB thwarts an attack on Russian nuclear installations by the Ukrainian Special Services.
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Russian military Mi-35 helicopter takes off from the building of the Federal Security Service in Lubyanskaya Square in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Feb. 26, 2016. (AP)
The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Thursday that it foiled an attack on Russian nuclear installations plotted by Ukrainian special forces.
"The Federal Security Service of Russia prevented a terrorist attack on nuclear power facilities planned by the special services of Ukraine," the FSB said in a statement.
A sabotage-terrorist squad from Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service attempted to blow up more than 30 power transmission towers of high-voltage power lines of the Leningrad and Kalinin nuclear power plants (NPP) on the eve of Victory Day, according to the statement.
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The FSB explained that the Ukrainian special services plan suggested that an attack against Russian nuclear power plants would lead to a shutdown of reactors and a disruption of the plants' regular operation. It added that the plan was to cause serious economic and reputational damage to Russia.
"The terrorists managed to blow up one and mine four power transmission towers of the Leningrad NPP and planted improvised explosive devices under seven power transmission towers of the Kalinin NPP," the statement added.
The FSB captured two Ukrainian saboteurs recruited by Kiev who were planning assaults on these Russian nuclear power stations and had received specific training on Ukrainian territory for this purpose.
Ukrainian special services planned to smuggle explosives from Poland to Lithuania, then through Belarus to Russia's Tver region, using a cargo trailer with caches for the hidden transportation of weapons and firearms as camouflage, according to the FSB.
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