Moscow | The Russian security services (FSB) said Thursday they had arrested three Ukrainian spies, one of whom was preparing an “attack” with explosives, at the height of tensions between the two countries.
The FSB did not specify in which regions or on what date these suspected Ukrainian spies were arrested.
According to a statement from the Russian security services, two of them “arrived in Russia to gather information and make photo and video recordings of installations of vital strategic importance and transport infrastructure”.
“A short-barreled weapon and an automatic weapon as well as personal protective equipment were found in the vehicle they were using,” they added.
According to the FSB, the two men “confessed to having been recruited” by the Ukrainian security services, the SBU, in exchange for a reward of 10,000 dollars.
The third alleged agent “was arrested in the act with destruction means while on his way to the scene of the crime”.
According to the FSB, the latter was arrested with two improvised explosive devices equivalent to 1.5 kg of TNT. He “crossed the Russian border illegally” and also had to “equip caches” with explosives.
Russia regularly announces the arrest of people it presents as spies or “saboteurs” working for Ukraine, especially in Crimea, a peninsula it annexed in 2014.
The arrests announced Thursday come at the height of tensions between the two countries, with Kiev saying it fears an imminent invasion as Moscow is accused of having massed troops on the border.
Russia denies any bellicose inclination and in return accuses Ukraine of constituting a “threat” for itself and NATO of wanting to extend to its borders.