In Khmelnytskyi, the SSU prevented a terrorist attack prepared by russian intelligence services. As a result of the operation, the Service apprehended an enemy agent who planned to plant explosives near a base of the Defence Forces in the city.

He received the task remotely from his russian handler earlier this year.

The aggressor’s priority targets were reserve command posts and permanent deployment sites of the Armed Forces and the National Guard.

To find a place to covertly plant explosives, the agent walked around the area and recorded geolocations with highest concentrations of Ukrainian military servicemen.

If he found such objects, he studied their perimeter for convenient places to plant an IED.

The asset passed the coordinates to the russian handler for approval. Then, he received instructions on how to manufacture an improvised explosive device with a remote activation mechanism through a phone.

The SSU was proactive and detained the agent when he was conducting additional reconnaissance near the military installation where the occupiers were planning the attack.

A mobile phone with the anonymous chat in a messenger app, where the traitor was communicating with the russian special service, was seized from the suspect during detention.

According to the investigation, the enemy accomplice is a 32-year-old drug addict from Khmelnytskyi. He came to the attention of the occupiers while looking for quick money on Telegram channels for a dose.

SSU investigators have served the detainee a notice of suspicion under two Articles of the CCU:

• 111.2 (high treason, committed under martial law);
• 114-2.3 (dissemination of information on movement, transfer or location of the AFU and other lawful military formations, committed under martial law).

The suspect is in custody 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.