Odesa: SBU detains Russian agent on explosion of heating equipment

The SBU prevented a terrorist attack in Odesa by detaining a woman who tried to blow up a truck with equipment for a heating facility. According to the investigation, she was recruited by Russian special services via Telegram and acted on their instructions.

This was reported by the SBU Communications Department.

Law enforcement officers detained a woman who was preparing to blow up a truck with expensive equipment for a heating facility.

The investigation established that the suspect had planted an improvised explosive device under the truck transporting the equipment. She planned to activate the explosive remotely by calling two cell phones connected to the device.

PHOTO: ssu.gov.ua

The operatives acted proactively: the explosives were neutralized, and the perpetrator was detained before the explosion.

The detainee was a resident of Chernivtsi. According to law enforcement, she was recruited by representatives of Russian special services via Telegram.

Following the instructions of her handlers, the woman arrived in Odesa, rented an apartment, made explosives and hid them in a metal container. She then installed the device under a truck and tried to activate it remotely.

During the searches, components for the manufacture of an explosive device and other evidence of cooperation with the enemy were seized from her.

PHOTO: ssu.gov.ua

Investigators served the detainee a notice of suspicion of attempted terrorist attack. She is currently in custody without the right to be released on bail. If proven guilty, she faces up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property. The operation was conducted by the SBU jointly with the National Police of Ukraine under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor's Office.

Also in March, the Security Service of Ukraine announced the neutralization of a Russian military intelligence agent group that was preparing the murder of Odesa activist Serhiy Sternenko and the elimination of a killer who resisted arrest with weapons. The investigation established that the defendants were preparing the murders of prominent people in different regions of Ukraine.

Анна Бальчінос