Ukrainian sabotage attempt on Black Sea fleet thwarted – Russia
An attempt by Ukrainian special services to stage a “terrorist attack” on a ship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has been thwarted, the Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Thursday.
According to a statement, authorities have detained a Russian Navy serviceman who was recruited by Ukrainian special services, and was in possession of an improvised explosive device equivalent to 1kg of TNT.
The man is also suspected of providing the enemy with information that constitutes a state secret, the FSB said. Russian authorities plan to launch criminal cases on charges of terrorism, illegal trafficking in explosives, high treason and disclosure of state secrets.
Russian naval bases and other facilities on the Crimean peninsula have repeatedly come under attack from Kiev’s forces since the start of the conflict last year.
On July 17, a Ukrainian drone struck the Crimean Bridge connecting the Russian mainland with the peninsula. The attack, carried out by a naval drone, damaged a portion of the structure and killed two civilians.
The Crimean Bridge was also heavily damaged last October in a truck blast that killed several civilians and destroyed a significant part of the structure. Russia condemned the attack as a “terrorist act.”
While Kiev has traditionally refrained from officially claiming responsibility for such attacks, Vasiliy Malyuk – head of the SBU, Ukraine’s main intelligence and security agency – admitted on television on Wednesday that the October attack was “one of our realizations.”
Russian officials have repeatedly described Kiev’s actions in Crimea as “terrorism” while President Vladimir Putin has vowed retaliation for attacks on the Crimean Bridge.
Following last week’s drone strike on the bridge, the Russian military launched a massive long-range missile and suicide-drone barrage against Ukrainian military infrastructure, fuel depots and weapon stockpiles, including in and around the Black Sea port city of Odessa.
Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that all designated targets were successfully hit, and the objectives of the strikes were achieved.
