Moscow’s top security agency announced on Thursday the arrest of several individuals suspected of being involved in a purported Ukrainian scheme to assassinate high-ranking military officials. This development comes in the aftermath of the recent assassination of a prominent Russian general.
The Federal Security Service (FSB), a key successor to the KGB, released a statement through Russian news outlets revealing that four Russians had been apprehended on charges of plotting to kill senior officials from the Defense Ministry.
According to the FSB, the individuals allegedly behind these planned attacks intended to eliminate a senior officer using a remote-controlled car bomb. Additionally, it was disclosed that another military official was to be targeted through an explosive device concealed within an envelope. However, the agency refrained from disclosing the names of the military personnel who were said to be the targets of this scheme.
The FSB also shared a video that showcased the arrests and subsequent interrogations of the suspects, whose identities were not revealed.
The announcement follows the assassination of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, who lost his life on December 17 due to a bomb that had been concealed on an electric scooter parked near his apartment building as he was heading to work. This attack also claimed the life of Kirillov’s assistant, with Ukraine taking responsibility for the bold operation that has escalated tensions within the Russian capital.
Additionally, the FSB reported the arrest of a suspect from Uzbekistan and claimed that he stated he had been recruited by Ukrainian intelligence services.
Kirillov, aged 54, was the head of Russia’s Radiation, Biological, and Chemical Protection Forces, which are responsible for shielding the military from potential nuclear, chemical, or biological threats and conducting operations in environments that may be contaminated.
In response to the incident, Russian President Vladimir Putin characterized Kirillov’s assassination as a significant oversight by the country’s security apparatus, emphasizing the need for improvement and learning from such critical lapses.
