A Russian citizen has attempted to set fire to energy infrastructure in the Urals, and was expecting to be paid by Ukrainian intelligence services, the FSB security agency said on Wednesday.
The suspect was described as a man in his mid-20s, affiliated with a pro-Ukraine terrorist organization. He was intercepted in Sverdlovsk Region with a bag of ingredients for Molotov cocktails, according to footage of the arrest released by law enforcement. He told officers that he was planning to make firebombs and throw them at an electric substation.
The facility, according to the FSB, provides power to a local arms factory and to the local railway. The suspect’s phone contained evidence of a conspiracy, including communications with Ukrainian agents, the statement claimed. He is now facing terrorism charges.
Earlier this week, the FSB branch in Crimea reported stopping another arson plot masterminded by Kiev. In that case, the suspect was offered $1,000 to attack a rail line in the city of Sevastopol, the home base of the Black Sea Fleet.