26-12-2024 (MOSCOW) Russian authorities announced today they have intercepted multiple assassination attempts targeting senior military commanders and their families in the capital, following the recent killing of a high-ranking Russian general.
The Federal Security Service (FSB) reports the arrest of four Russian nationals allegedly working with Ukrainian intelligence to carry out attacks using concealed explosive devices. The announcement comes just days after Lieutenant-General Igor Kirillov, who headed Russia’s NBC Protection Forces, was killed in a bombing outside his Moscow residence.
According to the FSB statement, the suspects were allegedly tasked with gathering intelligence on defence officials’ movements and planting explosives disguised as everyday items. One plot reportedly involved a magnetic bomb concealed as a portable power bank meant to be attached to a senior defence official’s vehicle.
Another scheme allegedly centred on delivering explosive materials hidden within what appeared to be an ordinary document folder. The FSB claims the suspects were operating under direct guidance from Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU).
The arrests follow the 17 December assassination of Lt-Gen Kirillov, killed when a bomb attached to an electric scooter detonated near his apartment building. Ukrainian intelligence sources have since acknowledged their involvement in Kirillov’s death, prompting Russian officials to label it an act of terrorism and pledge retaliation.
This latest development marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Moscow and Kyiv, with the battle increasingly shifting beyond the traditional frontlines and into the Russian heartland.
The FSB, which succeeded the Soviet KGB, maintains that their intervention has prevented what could have been multiple deadly attacks against military leadership and their families in the capital. All four detained suspects are currently in custody facing charges related to terrorism and espionage.
