Man detained in Odesa on suspicion of preparing a terrorist attack

SBU counter-intelligence officers detained a man suspected of organizing a terrorist attack in Odesa on the order of the Russian Federation's special services.

According to the SBU press service, he was manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Investigators said that he placed the ready-made explosives in caches on the seashore and sent their coordinates to the FSB. The occupiers then sent the relevant geolocations to the direct perpetrators of the attacks, who took the IEDs from the caches.

Ukrainian special services detained one of these terrorists in July this year when she tried to blow up the regional territorial center for recruitment and social support in Odesa.

According to the case materials, the detained agent who was involved in the manufacture of explosives was a 60-year-old Odesa resident who used to be a sailor on a merchant ship and after retirement began working for the FSB.

It was established that the recruitment of the suspect took place when he was staying with his sister in Russia at the beginning of the full-scale war. On the instructions of the FSB, the man later returned to Odesa through third countries.

After arriving in Ukraine, the agent first performed test tasks for his supervisor - reporting to him on the consequences of Russian drones and missiles hitting the city.

Then the Russian intelligence officer instructed his accomplice on how to make an IED and the priority places to place explosives in caches. According to the investigation, the offender reinforced the explosive devices with metal nuts and bolts and equipped them with mobile phones for remote detonation.

The SBU documented the agent's crimes and detained him at his place of residence. His smartphone, which he used to communicate with the FSB, was seized. SBU investigators served the agent a notice of suspicion under Part 3 of Article 15, Part 2 of Article 258 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (completed attempted terrorist act). The offender is in custody. He faces up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.

Кирило Бойко