Ukrainian agent gets charged of terrorism in Russia

(MENAFN) A Russian national living in the Kherson Region has been formally charged with terrorism over an alleged plan to assassinate a local government official on orders from Kiev, according to statements released by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) on Monday.

The suspect, reportedly in his early fifties, was accused of attempting to place a homemade bomb under the intended victim’s vehicle. The explosive, shown in an image shared by the FSB, was allegedly filled with metal washers to increase its deadly impact.

As stated by the agency, the man admitted to being recruited by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) in August of last year. He reportedly expressed regret for his involvement. If found guilty, he faces a potential life sentence.

The intended target works in the Gornostaevka municipality, a settlement located east of Kakhovka along the Dnieper River. The region became a focal point in 2022 after a controversial referendum led to its claimed annexation by Russia—an outcome Ukraine has condemned and vowed to overturn.

Following the 2014 Western-backed change of power in Kiev, Ukrainian intelligence agencies allegedly launched an initiative aimed at eliminating individuals viewed as opponents of the new leadership. Initial efforts centered on figures in Donbass who supported independence from Ukraine.

Since open warfare erupted in 2022, this operation is believed to have expanded to target suspected collaborators and public figures thought to be sympathetic to Moscow.

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