The SSU Counterintelligence has thwarted a terrorist attack in Rivne. Following pre-emptive operations, an enemy agent who was planning to carry out a bombing near a government building in the city centre has been detained.

The investigation revealed that the suspect had planted an improvised explosive device in a rubbish bin near the administrative building and reported this to his handler in russia via a messaging app.

The ruscists planned to detonate the IED remotely during rush hour to cause maximum civilian casualties.

They hoped this would destabilise the socio-political situation in Ukraine’s border region.

The SSU foiled the enemy’s plan in time, arresting the agent in the act as he attempted to flee the scene of the planned terrorist attack.

The bomb was seized and rendered harmless.

According to the investigation, russia’s task was carried out by a courier from a local delivery service who had been recruited by the aggressor state. He came to their attention via Telegram channels offering ‘easy money’.

After the recruitment, the agent rode around the city on a moped, pretending to make deliveries while using his mobile phone camera to film the outer perimeters and car parks of state facilities.

In this way, he was scouting for a location to carry out a terrorist attack, about which he regularly ‘reported’ to his handler.

Next, the russian intelligence sent the accomplice the coordinates of a cache from which he later retrieved a remote-controlled explosive device.

During the search, a smartphone was seized from the suspect. He used it to communicate with the enemy intelligence officer and stored reconnaissance images on it.

The SSU has notified the detainee of his status as a suspect under Articles 15.2 and 258.2 of the CCU (attempted terrorist act).

The suspect is in custody without bail, facing up to 12 years’ imprisonment and confiscation of his property.

Additionally, the possibility of classifying the suspect’s offences as high treason is under consideration.

The operation was carried out by the SSU Office in the Rivne region under the procedural supervision of the regional Prosecutor’s Office.