Mykolaiv: SBU thwarts attempted double terrorist attack near shopping mall

The SBU detained FSB agents who were planning a double terrorist attack near a regional shopping center in Mykolaiv. The explosives were supposed to go off one after the other to hit as many people as possible - the attackers were neutralized before the crime was committed.

This was reported by the SBU Communication Department.

As a result of the special operation, two FSB agents were detained who planned to blow up the administrative building of the regional territorial recruitment center (TCC).

According to the investigation, the criminals first planned to detonate an improved explosive device near the TCC. The second explosion was supposed to take place when rescuers and law enforcement officers arrived. Thus, the occupiers sought to cause maximum casualties and destabilize the situation in the region.

The terrorist attack was organized by two FSB agents who acted independently of each other but received tasks from the same supervisor. One of them is a 38-year-old resident of Kirovohrad region who came to the attention of the enemy through anti-Ukrainian posts on social media. After recruitment, he prepared improvised explosive devices and hid them in caches.

The second perpetrator was an 18-year-old resident of Kyiv region, recruited by the FSB through anonymous Telegram channels. On the instructions of his supervisor, he took the IEDs from the caches in Kherson and Mykolaiv, and then placed one of the bombs in a trash can near the SEC building and the other nearby.

It was at this point that the SBU detained him red-handed. They found a cell phone on his person, which he was supposed to use to broadcast the attack online to his Russian handlers.

He was served a notice of suspicion of attempted terrorist attack (Part 2 of Article 15, Part 2 of Article 258 of the Criminal Code). The other agent was detained at his place of residence and charged with high treason under martial law (Part 2 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code).

Both suspects are currently in custody. They face 12 years to life imprisonment with confiscation of property.

Recently, SBU counterintelligence and the National Police released details of the detention of a woman on Kulykove Pole in Odesa. According to the investigation, on July 17, she was supposed to bring a backpack with explosives to the regional shopping center at lunchtime, when it was most crowded. The Security Service exposed the terrorist plan in advance and detained the suspect on her way to the military registration and enlistment office with an improved explosive device.

Анна Бальчінос