Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has detained a Russian citizen on suspicion of planning terrorist attacks in Russia’s border regions with Ukraine during the country’s March 2024 presidential elections, business daily Kommersant reported on Monday, citing an FSB press release.
The unnamed 48-year-old man, who was detained in Russia’s western Kaluga region, is alleged to have assembled explosive devices intended for use in terrorist attacks on police stations in the Belgorod region, as well as the offices of two state-owned energy companies in the Bryansk region, according to the FSB.
The man acted under instructions from the Ukrainian special services, who recruited him in October 2023, according to the FSB.
FSB officers reportedly seized a ready-made 4.8 kg improvised explosive device from the defendant’s home, along with a large cache of ammunition and weapons, SIM cards, a laptop, and a smartphone allegedly used to communicate with Ukrainian special services, according to the agency.
In total, seven Russian citizens were detained on suspicion of involvement in the planning of the attacks, one of the targets of which was a gas distribution substation in the Tula region, the FSB said.