MOSCOW, November 12. /TASS/. Officers from Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) have detained four Ukrainian intelligence agents, including a foreign national, who were gathering information on participants in the special military operation, as well as defense and energy facilities, in three Russian regions, the FSB said in a statement.
TASS has summarized the main information available so far.
– The Federal Security Service in the Republic of Adygea, the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Omsk Region foiled subversive and terrorist activities by agents of Ukrainian intelligence agencies, the public relations center reported.
– As a result of operations conducted in Maikop, Donetsk and Omsk, three Russian citizens and a foreign national were detained. Acting on instructions from their Ukrainian handlers, they were gathering information about Russian service members taking part in the special military operation, as well as about defense industry enterprises and energy facilities, with the aim of committing acts of terrorism and sabotage, the FSB said.
– The detainees also posted online materials calling for terrorism-related crimes.
– Their activities were coordinated through the Telegram messaging service.
– «They were promised a large cash reward and relocation to the European Union for cooperating with Ukrainian intelligence agencies,» the FSB added.
– The detainees admitted to their activities, according to footage of their arrests released by the FSB.
– The man detained in Adygea said that Ukrainian intelligence officers had contacted him and offered him money to film facilities.
– According to him, he was provided with several coordinates, covering around five facilities that he was supposed to film, and agreed to carry out the task.
– The man said that he was later asked to set fire to a steam locomotive, but declined.
– The man detained in the Omsk Region said that he had been instructed to reconnoiter critical fuel and energy infrastructure facilities in Omsk.
– He photographed the facilities and the surrounding forest belts and sent the images along with map references and coordinates.
– The detainee in the DPR said that his handler had instructed him to blow up a military vehicle.
– He admitted that he had reached out to Ukrainian intelligence because he wanted to earn some extra money.
– According to the detainee, his handler told him where to obtain explosives for assembling a bomb, namely plastic explosive and a hand grenade.
– He did not manage to carry out the attack because FSB officers arrested him.
– A homemade explosive device ready for use and a hand grenade were seized from the person detained in Donetsk, the FSB said.
– Regional investigative authorities have initiated criminal cases against the detainees on charges including plotting terrorist attacks, assisting an adversary in activities knowingly directed against Russia’s security, high treason, preparing acts of sabotage, illegally possessing explosives or explosive devices, and calling for terrorist activities. All four have been remanded in custody.
– If found guilty, they could face lengthy prison terms, including life imprisonment, the FSB stressed.
Fuente: TASS