The Security Service’s counter-intelligence has thwarted a fourth terrorist attack that Russian special services had been preparing in Rivne since the start of 2026. A student at one of the capital’s universities has been detained on suspicion of plotting to blow up a bus carrying Ukrainian Armed Forces troops.
According to the SBU press service, this time the Russians tried to blow up an entire unit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as it was departing for its permanent base.
“As the investigation established, to carry out the attack the enemy recruited a student from Kyiv, who planted an improvised bomb under the bus that was transporting Ukrainian soldiers,” the statement said.
Opposite the parking area, the suspect installed a phone camera disguised in a juice carton, with remote access for Russian intelligence operatives. Using the “video trap”, the Russians hoped to monitor troops boarding the bus and detonate it as it was travelling to its destination.
SBU officers uncovered the hostile plan in advance, neutralised the explosives and detained the agent at the city bus station as, after planting the IED, he was trying to leave the regional centre for Kyiv to “go to earth”.
The detainee came to the attention of Russian intelligence operatives while looking for “quick” earnings in themed Telegram channels. After recruiting him, the Russians “dispatched” him to Rivne to prepare the bombing of a military vehicle carrying Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel.
After arriving in the city, the agent stayed in a rented flat and later received from his handler in Russia the coordinates of a cache, from which he retrieved an improvised explosive device. It was established that the explosive had been reinforced with two glass bottles of flammable liquid to increase its destructive effect.
Investigators from the Security Service have now served the detainee with a notice of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 15 and Part 2 of Article 258 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (attempted terrorist act).
The man is being held in custody without the right to post bail. He faces up to 12 years’ imprisonment with confiscation of property.
- As of 1 October, the Security Service of Ukraine has prevented more than 400 terrorist attacks and acts of sabotage since the start of the full-scale war.