SBU Detains Russian-Backed Saboteur in Odesa with Explosives for Attacks

Security forces detained a saboteur in Odesa who was making explosives for terrorist attacks. One of them was used to blow up a police station in Bilyayivka, Odesa region.

This was reported by the SBU.

According to the SBU, the organizer of the explosives production was a 44-year-old native of Dnipro region, who was wanted for theft and was hiding in Odesa. He was looking for easy money online, which attracted the attention of Russian special services.

After being recruited, the agent completed several test tasks from the FSB, including setting fire to Ukrainian military vehicles. He later moved to a rented apartment where he set up an explosives workshop.

After the terrorist attack in Bilyayivka, the agent tried to avoid detection by regularly changing his phone numbers and place of residence. However, SBU officers established his whereabouts and detained him.

During the search of his rented apartment, law enforcement officers found a new explosive device disguised as a fire extinguisher with destruction elements and a telephone for remote detonation. According to preliminary information, this explosive was to be used in another terrorist attack in the near future.

The offender was served a notice of suspicion under Part 3 Art. 258 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (terrorist act resulting in the death of a person). The court imposed on him a custodial measure of restraint. He faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.

The terrorist attack in Bilyayivka took place on March 23. A local resident recruited by the FSB brought an explosive device to the district police department, after which it was remotely detonated along with the perpetrator of the attack.

Earlier, the SBU and the National Police reported the exposure of a Russian agent who was preparing a terrorist attack in southern Ukraine on behalf of the enemy. The guy was supposed to assemble explosives from purchased components and disguise them as a fire extinguisher. After that, he was supposed to leave the device in a designated place, and the Russian handlers planned to activate it remotely by calling a phone connected to the explosive.

SBU military counterintelligence also detained a man in Odesa suspected of spying on ships in the Black Sea.

Ірина Глухова