4 Russian agents behind a bomb attack are exposed in Zhytomyr – SBU
Source: Ukraine’s Security Service
Five Russian agents responsible for a bomb attack at a district police office in Zhytomyr were arrested on Wednesday in a special operation by Ukraine’s police and security service. The terror act that took place on November 20 left one police officer injured.
An investigation revealed that the suspects had been recruited by Russian intellingence via Telegram, when they looking for odd jobs in hope of making quick money. Soon they were asked to produce an explosive device. Packed with nails and disguised as a thermos flask, it wad denoted remotely with a mobile phone.
To document the attack, the suspects installed hidden cameras near the police office, capturing the detonation in real-time. All five suspects, who operated independently of each other, were apprehended in a coordinated special operation in Zhytomyr. Among them is a 46-year-old Kharkiv resident with a criminal record for robbery, who allegedly purchased bomb components and concealed them in a pre-arranged stash.
The other four suspects are young Zhytomyr residents, aged 15, 16, 18, and 20. Two of them retrieved the components from the stash and assembled the device in a rented apartment following detailed instructions. The other two set up the cameras and planted the IED near the police office before detonating it.
Searches of their homes uncovered bomb-making materials, SIM cards, and mobile phones containing evidence of their involvement in the plot. They have been charged under Article 258 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code (terrorist act committed by a group with prior conspiracy). The suspects are now in custody and face up to 12 years in prison with asset confiscation.
Amendments to Ukraine’s enforcement proceedings legislation, initiated by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, have entered into force. Among other measures, the reform provides for the automated lifting of attachments on bank accounts immediately after debts in enforcement proceedings have been fully settled. The main practical benefit for citizens is the complete elimination of the need to contact an enforcement officer in person and wait for paper decisions once the debt has been paid.
The 157th Separate Mechanized Brigade has received another batch of supplies as part of Rinat Akhmetov’s Steel Front military initiative. This time, the military received seven quad bikes and four mobile shower and bath units.
In my previous column, I wrote about social innovations in Ukraine. Those innovations are part of civic resilience and the democratization of security, which Europe is paying close attention to right now. The EU is trying to work out how to spread responsibility for its own security across society as a whole, rather than leaving it to institutions alone. It is looking for concrete ways to bring ordinary people into the work of defense and resistance.
Petro Poroshenko’s lawyers have appealed to the High Anti-Corruption Court demanding that NABU be obligated to register proceedings regarding the fact of exerting influence on the court and to recognize Petro Poroshenko as a victim in the case of the Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Iryna Mudra, due to her pressure on Supreme Court judges who were considering a lawsuit to overturn sanctions.
Internationally recognized brands and financial institutions should direct capital to Ukraine now, not waiting for the hostilities to end. This was emphasized by Rinat Akhmetov, president of FC Shakhtar, during a working visit to UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, where he met with UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.