The suspects were planning attacks on local officials in Kherson, Russia’s security service says
Credit: The FSB, Russia’s security service
Nine suspected saboteurs working for the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) have been detained in Russia’s Kherson Region, the Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Tuesday.
The group was allegedly tasked with “carrying out terrorist attacks against high-ranking members of the military-civilian administration of Kherson Region,” the statement reads.
SBU officers located outside the region were coordinating the actions of nine Ukrainian citizens, the agency claims.
The security service has seized five kilograms of plastic explosives, electric detonators, three grenades, small arms, and ammunition, as well as reconnaissance equipment from the suspects, it added.
The FSB says it also discovered an explosive-laden vehicle, which the saboteurs allegedly planned to use in an attack.
The suspects are all in custody, and a terrorism case has been launched against them.
Read more
Kherson Region and its main city Kherson on the Dnieper River came under Russian control shortly after Moscow launched its military operation in Ukraine in late February.
It was officially declared part of the Russian Federation in early October, together with Zaporozhye Region and the People’s Republics of Donetsk (DPR) and Lugansk (LPR), after referendums in those territories overwhelmingly supported the move.
Over the past few months, multiple assassination attempts on officials have been foiled by security agencies in all four territories.
Last Friday, DPR supreme court judge Aleksandr Nikulin was shot and severely wounded in the city of Uglegorsk.
Despite Kiev never claiming responsibility for those incidents, Russia insists that Ukraine is behind the attacks and accuses President Vladimir Zelensky of resorting to terrorist tactics.
