MOSCOW, November 24. /TASS/. Two residents of Altai Republic in Russia’s southern Siberia, who were preparing a sabotage operation on the railway under the direction of Ukrainian intelligence services, opened fire at Federal Security Service (FSB) officers during their arrest and were neutralized, the Russian Federal Security Service Public Relations Center told TASS.

"The Federal Security Service has prevented an attempted sabotage act on a railway line in Altai Republic, planned by members of an organization banned in Russia as terrorist, in coordination with Ukrainian intelligence services," the public relations center stated.

On November 22, 2025, two men attempted to install a so-called derailment device on the railway tracks between the Altayskaya and Biysk stations, a section with significant freight and passenger train traffic. "During the arrest, the individuals offered armed resistance and were neutralized by return fire," the FSB reported.

The FSB clarified that the individuals were local residents recruited through Telegram by a representative of the terrorist organization to carry out acts of sabotage and terrorism in exchange for monetary compensation. "Acting on their handler's instructions, they had previously selected the site for the planned sabotage and conducted reconnaissance of the area," the FSB added.

The Investigative Committee noted that the suspects were in possession of illegally obtained firearms.

The investigative division of the FSB Directorate for Altai Republic has opened a criminal case under Article 281 of the Russian Criminal Code (sabotage). The Investigative Committee’s Directorate for Altai Republic is also probing the case under Article 317 (attempt on the life of a law enforcement officer) and Article 222 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation, shipment, or carrying of weapons, firearm components, or ammunition) of the Russian Criminal Code.