MOSCOW, February 5. /TASS/. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has thwarted a terrorist attack organized by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) against a top Crimean official; three suspects have been detained, the FSB’s public relations center told TASS.

"The Federal Security Service has prevented a terrorist act organized by the Security Service of Ukraine against one of the leaders of the Republic of Crimea," it said. "The Russian Federal Security Service officers detained in Crimea a group of individuals, including Russian citizens Bodnar V. A., Shevchenko O. V. V. and Ananyev V. V., who acted on the instructions of the SBU in a plot to blow up a car belonging to a representative of the Crimean authorities in Simferopol," it added.

"The detainees have confessed," the FSB said.

It said a remote-controlled homemade explosive device was seized from the suspects, along with a radio-transmitting device, a tripod for installing the launch device to aim it at the target, a remote detonator which was supposed to be triggered by a call from a cell phone. Criminal cases have been opened under several articles, including attempting to commit a terrorist attack and illegal acquisition and storage of explosive devices.

The detained individuals were tasked with blowing up a convoy of cars, Vladimir Bondar said as shown in a video of the interview circulated by the FSB.

"The mine is now in a garage with the remote control. It was intended to attack the motorcade," he said. His wife, also detained by the FSB officers, added that they were to commit a terrorist attack against a motorcade of two cars. They were engaged in preparations between January 26 and February 1. For this purpose, they studied the route of the motorcade, though only one of the cars was supposed to be attacked.