MOSCOW, December 24. /TASS/. Russia’s Federal Security Service, FSB, has successfully thwarted an imminent terrorist attack targeting an oil pipeline’s control room. The abortive act of sabotage was being prepared by an individual affiliated with a banned terrorist organization operating under the directives of Ukrainian secret services.

According to the FSB’s Public Relations Center, the suspect, a Russian citizen originally from Vinnitsa in Ukraine, resisted arrest and was subsequently neutralized during the operation. The center stated, "The FSB in the Tyumen Region prevented the illegal activities of a member of a Ukrainian terrorist organization, who was preparing a sabotage and terrorist attack on a critical infrastructure facility in the region, specifically targeting the control room of Transneft’s primary oil pipeline."

Investigations revealed that the suspect had received instructions to assemble an improvised explosive device, procuring components and storing them in a cache. On December 24, he attempted to retrieve the equipment for the final assembly. When confronted by authorities, he offered armed resistance and was neutralized with return fire.

The man was in touch with a handler from a Ukrainian terrorist organization via the WhatsApp messenger. "On his instructions, in addition to making preparations for sabotage, he was gathering information about the situation around oil and gas facilities in Russian regions," the FSB stated.

The public relations center reiterated that Ukrainian secret services are actively working online, including on social media and the Telegram and WhatsApp messengers, to lure Russian citizens into illegal activities.