According to the SBU, the detainees — two Russian women — were manufacturing improvised explosive devices intended for use in crowded public areas.
Investigators identified the suspects as a 24-year-old contract servicemember of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and her 25-year-old friend. In December 2025, three other members of the same group were detained after carrying out a terrorist attack in Kyiv’s Darnytskyi district, the agency said.
The SBU said the two women were recruited through a Telegram channel offering “easy money.” After being recruited, they allegedly received funds from Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) to rent an apartment in Zhytomyr.
The suspects set up a makeshift bomb-making laboratory inside the rented apartment, following instructions provided by Russian handlers, according to the SBU. They purchased components for the explosive devices in stores and at local markets, frequently changing clothes to avoid detection, the agency added.
The women were reportedly awaiting coordinates from the FSB for the planned bomb placements when Ukrainian authorities uncovered the plot. The SBU said it documented their activities and detained them while they were assembling their first explosive device.
Searches of the premises resulted in the seizure of bomb components and smartphones containing evidence of communication with Russian operatives, the agency said.
Investigators have formally charged the suspects under Part 1 of Article 14 and Part 2 of Article 258 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code — preparation for a terrorist act committed by a group in prior conspiracy. If convicted, they face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.