The SSU Counterintelligence has thwarted a terrorist attack in Khmelnytskyi. As a result of pre-emptive actions, an FSB agent who was preparing to detonate an improvised explosive device in the city has been detained.

According to the investigation, the explosion was to occur at a location where Ukrainian military personnel were concentrated. To increase the number of casualties, the perpetrator planned to make an anonymous call to 102 to summon a police unit to this site.

The bomb was to be detonated remotely upon the arrival of law enforcement officers at the site of the planned terrorist attack.

The SSU uncovered the plot at an early stage and apprehended the agent while he was conducting a reconnaissance of the place where he intended to plant the IED.

The order of russia’s federal security service was carried out by a local drug addict recruited by them. He was spotted by the FSB while looking for ‘easy money’ on Telegram.

After the recruitment, the asset received instructions from his russian handler on how to manufacture a bomb using improvised materials.

Simultaneously, he walked about the city trying to identify locations with high concentration of Defence Forces personnel.

During his reconnaissance, the perpetrator not only marked coordinates on Google Maps but also photographed the sites, referencing the surrounding terrain and buildings.

The agent was also looking for hiding places to plant an IED. He passed the collected data to the FSB to coordinate the preparation of the attack.

A fully assembled improvised explosive device and a smartphone containing evidence of working for the enemy were seized from the suspect during the search.

SSU investigators have notified the detainee of suspicion under Article 111.2 of the CCU (high treason, committed under martial law).

The suspect is in custody without bail and faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.

The operation was carried out by the SSU Office in Khmelnytskyi region under the procedural supervision of the regional Prosecutor’s Office.

The Security Service of Ukraine asks citizens to remain vigilant. If you are approached with dubious proposals, have seen suspicious objects or individuals, or have information about the activities of russian intelligence services, or about websites and social media pages they use for recruitment, please report this to the SSU:

Chatbot Burn the FSB-man – t.me/spaly_fsb_bot

Tel.: 15-16 or 0 800 501 482

Email: callcenter@ssu.gov.ua