SSU counterintelligence neutralized an agent group of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation in Kyiv that was preparing a series of attacks on Ukrainian military facilities using drones.
The SSU press service reported on this.
SSU officers detained members of the Russian FSS militant group during the active phase of preparing sabotage. The priority targets of Russian agents included units of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, as well as their reserve command posts.
The saboteurs planned to use up to 10 FPV drones equipped with improvised explosive devices to commit sabotage.
It was established that the militant group was formed in 2018 by a staff member of the 9th Directorate of the Department of Operational Information of the FSS 5th Service. It consisted of three people who, after recruitment, were transferred to a “waiting” mode before the full-scale invasion of Russia.
Each of the members of the Russian intelligence and militant group had his own specialization in conducting intelligence and subversive activities in favor of the aggressor country.
For example, one of them manufactured improvised explosive devices, while the other was responsible for converting “civilian” unmanned aerial vehicles into unmanned combat aerial vehicles.
Another member of the enemy group was directly operating the drones. To acquire the relevant skills, the woman took a UAV operator training course in the Kyiv region in March of this year.
During the searches of the detainees’ residences, explosives with detonators, hand grenades, firearms, and ammunition were discovered.
The active phase
In the spring of this year, the offenders started tracking the locations of the Defense Forces units in the capital region. To establish the locations of Ukrainian facilities, the criminals tried to use their acquaintances in the Ukrainian military.
The members of the Russian intelligence and militant group also flew their own drones for reconnaissance of the area, where they received information about the presence of Ukrainian army units.
For maximum secrecy, the suspects constantly changed their addresses. It was established that they set a fire in one of the apartments to hide the traces of IEDs.