The FSB announced the prevention of a series of terrorist attacks against senior employees of the Ministry of Defense and their families, four Russians were detained

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) claims to have prevented a series of terrorist attacks aimed at high-ranking military personnel of the Russian Ministry of Defense and members of their families. According to the FSB, the preparation of the crimes was carried out by the Ukrainian special services with the involvement of recruited Russian citizens.

According to the department’s statement, in November 2024, a Russian citizen recruited by the Ukrainian special services arrived in Moscow. He allegedly entered Russian territory under the guise of a deported person, taking advantage of transit through Moldova and Georgia. The suspect is said to have recovered explosives and CCTV from the cache. The bomb, disguised as a power bank, was intended to be installed under the official car of one of the leaders of the Ministry of Defense, which was driven by his close relative. The suspect was detained.

In addition, the FSB reported the detention of a Moscow resident who is suspected of scouting the places of residence and work of high-ranking employees of the Ministry of Defense. According to the intelligence service, the detainee transferred photo and video materials to his “curators” from the Ukrainian special services to prepare attacks.

Another episode involved the preparation of an assassination attempt on a serviceman using a homemade explosive device disguised as a folder with documents. To deliver the device, according to the FSB, two Russian citizens had to be involved.

The FSB said that the four detainees were charged under articles of illegal trafficking in explosives, preparation for a terrorist act and high treason.

On the morning of December 17 in Moscow, an explosion occurred at the entrance of the house where Igor Kirillov, chief of the radiation, chemical and biological protection troops of the Russian Armed Forces, lived. As a result of the explosion, Kirillov and his assistant Ilya Polikarpov were killed. According to the preliminary version of the investigation, the explosive device was attached to a scooter left at the entrance.

Ukrainian media, citing sources in the security services, reported that the murder of Kirillov was part of a special operation by the Security Service of Ukraine. The next day, a suspect in this case, a citizen of Uzbekistan born in 1995, was detained. During interrogation, he stated that he was recruited by the Ukrainian special services.