SSU and National Police Foiled FSB Terrorist Attack in Downtown Kyiv

The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) and National Police prevented a high-profile terrorist attack in Kyiv — law enforcement officers detained two FSB agents.

According to investigative findings, the perpetrators planted a homemade incendiary device intended to cause a fire and subsequent explosion of a generator unit near the administrative building.

After planting the explosive device, the agents planned to remotely detonate it and flee to Russia via Belarus. The investigation established that after planting the device, the suspects boarded a passenger train bound for the Chernihiv region. From there, they intended to illegally cross the state border via the river using an inflatable boat.

However, law enforcement officers uncovered their activities in time, documented the crimes, and detained them directly on the train.

According to the case file, the perpetrators of the terrorist attack were Kyiv residents recruited by the FSB. One of them is a mobilized military serviceman who deserted his military unit; the other is a Kyiv-based marketing specialist.

According to the SSU, both suspects came to the attention of Russian intelligence agencies through Telegram channels, where they posted comments in support of the Kremlin regime. In exchange for carrying out the assigned task, the Russian side promised the agents a so-called “evacuation” to the Russian Federation and subsequent employment within the FSB.

To prepare for the terrorist attack, the suspects received instructions from Russia on how to manufacture a homemade incendiary device. They subsequently planted it under a generator in Kyiv’s Shevchenkivskyi district.

According to the Russian intelligence services’ plan, the explosion was intended to cause a large-scale fire and inflict significant damage on a neighboring administrative building. In addition, agents installed a concealed phone camera with remote access for the FSB near the site of the attack.

To cover their tracks, they also equipped the camera with a second homemade explosive device, which they planned to activate after the main explosion. During searches of the suspects’ premises, investigators seized smartphones containing evidence of collaboration with the enemy, as well as an inflatable boat intended for illegally crossing the border.

Investigators also established that prior to planning this terrorist attack, the agents had carried out “test” missions for Russian special services, including setting up a weapons cache and passing information about military facilities to the enemy. The suspects are currently in custody and face life imprisonment with confiscation of property.