Russia recruited Ukrainian soldier and shop assistant to carry out terrorist attack outside institute in Kyiv – photo

Two individuals who agreed to carry out a terrorist attack in Kyiv on Russia's orders in exchange for the chance to enter Russia have been detained near the border with Belarus.

Source: Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office; National Police of Ukraine

Details: Investigators said unidentified individuals posing as former employees of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) had used Telegram to look for people willing to stage a terrorist attack in Kyiv. As a reward for committing the crime, they offered them the chance to benefit from a so-called "Amnesty" programme, promising that the perpetrators of the attack would be allowed into Russia without filtration.

The suspects – a serviceman who had gone AWOL and a shop assistant – agreed to stage the attack in exchange for a promise that they would be taken to Russia. In addition to carrying out the assignment, each of the men was to transfer US$1,000 to the Russians' "crypto wallet", supposedly to ensure they could pass checks without any problems.

Representatives of the Russian secret services ordered the suspects to make explosives and place two explosive devices under a diesel generator in an area near one of the buildings of the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. The perpetrators assembled two explosive devices fitted with timers.

In June, they arrived at the scene, planted the explosive devices and activated the timers to trigger an explosion. In addition to the explosives, the suspects also left a phone which was intended to film the incident in real time. After the device detonated, a fire broke out, but there was no powerful explosion.

The perpetrators of the attempted terrorist attack, who are 34 and 35, were later detained by border guards near the border with Belarus, where they had planned to cross into Russia. They were wearing military uniforms.

The suspects' actions have been classified under Articles 15.2 and 258.2 of Ukraine's Criminal Code as an attempted terrorist act committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy.

Prosecutors said the suspects are being held in custody without the right to bail.

The sentence for this offence is up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of assets.

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