Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said Tuesday that it thwarted a Ukrainian plot to assassinate a senior Russian Defense Ministry official.
The FSB said it arrested a dual Ukrainian-Russian citizen, born in 1989 and known by the alias “Voron” (“crow”), on a highway as he traveled toward the Moscow region. He allegedly planned to park a vehicle loaded with explosives next to the official’s car and detonate it.
The location of the arrest along the federal M-4 highway, which runs from the southern Krasnodar region to Moscow, was not disclosed, nor was the intended assassination target’s name.
Footage released by state media showed armed agents arresting a man on the roadside at night. In an interrogation video, the man said a Ukrainian agent had offered him a military draft deferment in exchange for carrying out the attack. It was unclear whether he made the statement under duress.
The FSB’s office in the southern Rostov region pressed criminal charges of state treason and the illegal handling and trafficking of explosives. The man faces up to life in prison and has been placed in pre-trial detention, the law enforcement agency said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
