MOSCOW, February 13. /TASS/. Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has prevented a terrorist attack at the Pskov railway station and eliminated the members of a cell of an international terrorist organization who were preparing it, the FSB press office said.
"The FSB has disrupted in the Pskov Region the activities of a cell of the international terrorist organization banned in Russia, whose members, citizens of one of the Central Asian countries, were planning to carry out a terrorist act," the statement said. "The attackers, on the instructions of a handler of the terrorist organization residing abroad, intended to detonate an explosive device at the Pskov railway station. After the terrorist attack, they planned to flee abroad, to one of the countries of the Middle East," the press office pointed out.
"During the operation, the terrorists opened fire on the FSB officers and were killed by retaliatory fire," the FSB said.
According to the special service, in preparation for the attack, members of the cell conducted reconnaissance of the area, purchased components for the manufacture of a homemade explosive device, and began to assemble it. During the raid, the FSB found and confiscated firearms, ammunition, and components of the improvised explosive device at their residence.
Russian investigators opened a criminal case under Articles 30 and 205 of the Russian Criminal Code ("Preparation to Commit a Terrorist Attack by a Group of Persons by Prior Conspiracy").