Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) says it has thwarted an attempted assassination of a senior defence plant official in St Petersburg, detaining a 19-year-old Ukrainian man accused of disguising himself as an elderly woman during the plot.
According to investigators, the suspect retrieved an explosive device from a cemetery before changing into a long skirt and headscarf to pose as a “babushka” (granny). He allegedly placed the device beneath the target’s vehicle around 6 a.m. but was apprehended by security officers before he could escape.
Authorities said two women, believed to be part of the same spy network, were also arrested while attempting to flee to the airport. Local reports described the women as a hairdresser and a pet groomer.
In a confession video released by the FSB, the teenager admitted he was recruited via Telegram and received instructions from Ukraine’s military intelligence. He described the device as resembling a “black power bank” fitted with magnets.
All three suspects are facing potential life sentences under Russia’s terrorism laws. Officials have withheld their identities as well as the name of the intended target.