SBU detains GRU agent making explosives for terror attacks in Odesa Oblast

The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) reports that a 36-year-old unemployed woman from Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, recruited by Russian agents through Telegram in search of "easy money," carried out tasks for the Russian military.

According to the investigation, the Russian agent first received geolocation information from her Russian handler, which led her to a cache where she extracted plastid. She then worked with explosives in a rented apartment, "reinforcing" the explosives with nuts and connecting mobile phones to the SVP for remote detonation, according to law enforcement officials.

“The suspect placed ready-made means of destruction in caches, the coordinates of which she received from her Russian handler. These caches were intended for other enemy agents to carry out terrorist attacks,” the investigation added.

The SBU claims that a 21-year-old displaced person from Donetsk used one of the caches. In January of this year, on the orders of Russian authorities, she allegedly prepared explosions near the administrative building of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and a car parked nearby in Odesa Oblast. The woman was arrested after planting explosives near the facilities.

"Upon learning of her arrest, the agent who made the explosives attempted to go into hiding. However, SBU counterintelligence officers traced her and detained her. During the search, a phone with evidence of her work for the enemy was seized," the SBU press service said.

The woman was informed of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 258 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which deals with terrorism committed by a group of persons in preliminary conspiracy. She faces up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.