MOSCOW, December 15. /TASS/. Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) officers have apprehended in five Russian regions 10 Russian nationals who committed acts of sabotage and terrorism under threats from Ukrainian security agencies, the FSB Public Relations Center (PRC) reported.
"The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation <…> in the Komi Republic, in the Astrakhan, Vologda, Volgograd and Krasnodar Regions, stopped the activities of ten Russian citizens who, on orders from Ukrainian security agencies, set fire to law enforcement vehicles and illegally interfered in operations of energy and transport facilities," the PRC reported. The detainees said during interrogation that under the influence of phone scammers, they took out loans and transferred funds—ranging from $3,700 to $20,000—to "safe accounts." After that, people posing as Russian law enforcement officers contacted them via Telegram and, under the pretext of releasing them from criminal responsibility for financing Ukraine’s armed forces, coerced them into committing illegal acts, ostensibly to test the anti-terrorist security of facilities.
The citizens were persuaded to cooperate with false security services, under the threat of being charged with treason, for which the maximum sentence is life imprisonment, for financing the Ukrainian armed forces.
Criminal cases have been opened against the detainees under Part 3 of Article 30, Part 2 of Article 205 (attempted terrorist act), Part 3 of Article 30, Part 2 of Article 281 (attempted sabotage), Part 2 of Article 281 (sabotage), and Part 2 of Article 205 (terrorist attack) of the Russian Criminal Code, under which they face up to 20 years in prison.
The FSB said that Ukrainian intelligence agencies are actively targeting Russian citizens online, through social media, and messaging apps, to make them commit crimes. Taking advantage of their gullibility, recruiters coerce their victims into committing serious and especially serious crimes, which carry long prison sentences. "Remember that law enforcement officers, security services, the Prosecutor's Office, the Federal Financial Monitoring Service (Rosfinmonitoring), Russia’s Central Bank, and the Portal of Government Services would never call citizens via WhatsApp, Telegram, or other messaging apps, provide photographs of their documents, inquire about passport and bank card data, request verification codes, or remotely recruit them to participate in operational work and other activities. Be vigilant," the FSB warned.
FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov said earlier that the number of acts of sabotage and terror attacks committed by Ukrainian special services in Russia had dramatically increased.