The SSU and the National Police have prevented a series of terrorist attacks in Odesa. As a result of the operation, two men working for the FSB were detained.

On the orders of the russian service, they were preparing arson attacks on the vehicles of Ukrainian military servicemen in the city.

To commit the crime, the perpetrators used a flammable incendiary device to accelerate the vehicle’s burning.

To find potential targets, they drove around the city and recorded the number plates and parking spaces of the vehicles driven by military personnel.

The collected data was transmitted to their russian handler. A specially created Telegram channel run by the FSB was used for communication.

After the FSB’s approval, the attackers set fire to a car chosen by the handler and then hid at different addresses.

In this way, they burned the car belonging to a soldier from an AFU combat brigade stationed in the region.

After the arson, the men tried to lay low in order to continue such attacks later.

However, the law enforcement agencies identified both perpetrators and detained them at their homes.

According to the investigation, one of them is a previously convicted drug dealer from Odesa. He involved a local resident, a drug addict, who agreed to be an accomplice in exchange for drugs.

During the searches, the SSU seized mobile phones with evidence of the crimes, containers with incendiary substances as well as bank cards, which were to be used to receive money from the FSB.

SSU investigators have notified the detainees of suspicion under Article 258.2 of the CCU (terrorist act, committed by a group, causing significant property damage).

The suspects are in custody and face up to 12 years in prison.

The operation was carried out by the SSU Office in Odesa region jointly with the National Police under the procedural supervision of the regional Prosecutor’s Office.