MOSCOW, July 10. /TASS/. Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has thwarted an attempt by Ukrainian military intelligence to conduct a terrorist attack on the heavy aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov in Murmansk, the FSB said.

According to the FSB, in March 2024, an agent of the Ukrainian special services who introduced himself as Oleg contacted a Russian citizen, born in 2000, serving on the heavy aircraft carrier over WhatsApp and Telegram. The Ukrainian agent incited the Russian serviceman to conduct a terrorist attack on the warship as he claimed that the "operation" was being controlled personally by head of the Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) Kirill Budanov.

"After the [Russian] officer informed security services, measures to document 'Oleg’s' unlawful activity and expose potential agents and accomplices of the Kiev regime were taken as part of an operative game under the full control of the Russian security services," the FSB reported.

Ukraine’s special services sent components for assembling an explosive incendiary device to the Russian serviceman via a delivery company, the FSB said. "He was assured that as soon as they received video confirmation of an arson attack on the aircraft carrier he would be evacuated to Finland and that papers and remuneration had already been prepared for him at a cache on the border," the FSB added.

"However, as was expected, the curator turned off his telecom devices and deleted the accounts he used on the messengers upon receiving a staged video message showing a mock terrorist attack on the Admiral Kuznetsov," the FSB said.

The FSB’s investigative department at Russia’s Northern Fleet has opened a criminal probe to identify "Oleg" and his accomplices. They could face up to life in prison if caught and convicted. All organizers and accomplices in the crime, including foreigners, have been issued warrants for their arrest, the FSB added.