Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has foiled a planned sabotage attack targeting an oil installation in the Komi Republic, western Russia, according to Monday’s agency report.
Two Russian citizens were killed during a shootout while being arrested for allegedly acting on instructions from Ukrainian intelligence services. The suspects had established covert communication with operatives via messaging apps and provided detailed information about regional oil refineries, Russian military personnel, and law enforcement officers, the FSB stated in its press release.
The men were tracked to a cache in Ukhta, where they were retrieving drones equipped with improvised explosive devices intended for an attack on a nearby oil facility. Security forces encountered armed resistance during the arrest attempt, resulting in the deaths of both suspects with no injuries reported among personnel or civilians.
Authorities recovered two drones fitted with foreign-origin explosives, two Makarov pistols, and mobile phones containing data corroborating the suspects’ activities. Footage released by the FSB depicts the shootout and photographs from the hideout showing the retrieved weapons.
The specific oil facility targeted remains undisclosed, though a criminal case has been opened for preparing an act of sabotage. The FSB reiterated its warning that Ukrainian intelligence services are actively recruiting operatives online through platforms including Telegram and WhatsApp, emphasizing that those collaborating with Kyiv will be identified and prosecuted.
The agency also highlighted last week’s operation where it disrupted a network of Russian neo-Nazis allegedly guided by Ukraine to target the head of Roskomnadzor (the Russian media regulator), Andrey Lipov. In that incident, seven individuals were arrested across four cities, with a ringleader killed in Moscow after opening fire on officers.