Ukraine’s security service foils arson plot across Europe

Source: Security Service of Ukraine

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the National Police said on Wednesday they have uncovered a a group of Russian intelligence agents who plotted a series arson attacks in Ukraine and Europe.

The plot was going to target shopping malls, gas stations, pharmacies, and markets in Ukraine, Poland, and the Baltic states. The investigaton detained the leader of the group and his accomplice in the Ivano-Frankivsk region.

Recruited by Russia’s FSB, the criminal group had 19 members in Ivano-Frankivsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, and Zaporizhzhia. The group leaders used  personal connections within criminal circles to lure new recruits who were offered fake ID documents and river’s licenses, educational diplomas and medical records so they could travel to Europe.

Investigation found the FSB wanted to help them sneak into Europe so they could set fire at the targeted sites and make videos of their arson which were planned to be used for disinformation campaigns on social media.

Ukrainian law-enforcement led 37 raids and seized the group members’  mobile phones, flash drives, handwritten notes, forged documents, bank cards, an AK assault rifle, pistols, and significant amounts of cash

The arson group members are facing charges of treason and forgery that can land them behind the bars for life.