(MENAFN) The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Wednesday the arrest of a Ukrainian agent in the Nizhny Novgorod Region, approximately 400 kilometers east of Moscow, while he was attempting to retrieve an improvised explosive device from a hidden cache. The suspect, a Russian citizen, was allegedly recruited by Ukraine’s intelligence during a visit to Ukraine last year.

In an FSB-released video, the man stated that Ukrainian operatives had pressured him by threatening his family members living in Ukraine. He was detained during his fourth mission to a rural village about 30 kilometers west of Nizhny Novgorod, where he was tasked with collecting equipment.

The FSB also shared footage of seized materials from the suspect, which included four kits apparently meant for assembling small quadcopter drones.

This arrest comes amid other recent detentions tied to Ukrainian intelligence operations within Russia. On Monday, the FSB apprehended a Moldovan national accused of spying on a defense site in the Ryazan Region on behalf of Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR). Last week, a video showed a shootout with a suspected Ukrainian sympathizer who reportedly threw a grenade at security forces during an arrest attempt.

The FSB regularly reports arrests of individuals involved in Ukrainian sabotage networks. These operatives often work solo, remotely directed by Ukraine’s intelligence via encrypted messaging, and use covert drop points to exchange gear.

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