In Zhytomyr, Russian agents who were planning to blow up a police unit that was to respond to a call to 102 were detained. This was reported by the SBU, the Prosecutor General's Office and the National Police.
To commit the attack, the detainees rented an apartment in the regional centre in advance and installed two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) there.
In the apartment, law enforcement officers found an improvised explosive device disguised in a soft toy, a portable speaker and a thermos with an explosive substance. They also found two mobile phones intended for monitoring and activating the explosives.
The examination established that the IEDs were armed in thermoses and stuffed with stones to increase the destructive effect in case of detonation.
Using remote access, Russian agents planned to activate both IEDs when the police entered the premises through the open door.
By this time, the agents had to leave the rented apartment and hide in a hotel room to receive further instructions from their Russian supervisor.
The SBU officers were proactive: they documented all the preparations for the terrorist attack and detained both suspects in their hotel room immediately after a call to the National Police hotline.
The detainees were two 19-year-old residents of Dnipropetrovsk Region. They received an assignment from the Russian special services via the Telegram channel. The young men were instructed to pick up a bag with unknown contents at the geolocation specified to them in the Andrushiv community of Zhytomyr Region. Later, they delivered it to a rented apartment in a multi-storey building located in the centre of Zhytomyr. For this, they were promised to receive USD 3 thousand.
Law enforcement officers are identifying the person who coordinated the criminal actions. A number of examinations have been ordered to establish the composition of the seized substances.
The SBU investigators served the detainees a notice of suspicion under Part 2 Art. 15, Part 2 Art. 258 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (completed attempted terrorist act by prior conspiracy).
The offenders are currently in custody. They face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.