The SBU and the National Police arrested a Russian saboteur "red handed" who wanted to blow up several gas stations in Kharkiv and other regions of Ukraine

The counterintelligence of the Security Service together with the Department of Criminal Investigation of the National Police conducted a multi-pronged special operation, as a result of which a saboteur of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Federation (known as Gru) was detained in Kharkiv. On the instructions of the Russian special service, the attacker was preparing to blow up two gas stations in Kharkiv and in other regions of Ukraine.

To commit sabotage, he planned to use improvised explosive devices, which he kept in a specially equipped storage room on the territory of one of the forest areas of the Kharkiv Region.

According to the plan of the Russian military intelligence, the detonation of the fuel tanks at the gas station was supposed to lead to numerous casualties among the civilian population and the spread of panic in the border regions.

Law enforcement officers arrested the suspect "red handed" when he planted explosives under a gas barrel at one of the Kharkiv gas stations.

When the attacker was apprehended, his explosive device, which consisted of 2.5 kg of plastid and a clock mechanism with an electric detonator, was immediately deactivated.

The facts of the detainee's involvement in committing a series of other acts of sabotage in the Kharkiv region were also revealed. Among them are the detonation of a track at a railway station and explosions at two local gas stations.

According to the investigation, the enemy saboteur turned out to be an ex-employee of the disbanded police force, who tried to return to his former position through the court.

After the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, he was remotely recruited by a representative of Russian military intelligence.

During the searches, the following were found:

▪ almost 5 kg of plastid;

▪ detonators;

▪ clock mechanism for explosives;

▪ 2 combat grenades F-1 and RGD-5;

▪ a revolver;

▪ almost 900,000 cash in hryvnia equivalent.

The investigators of the Security Service plan to notify the detainee of suspicion under Art. 113 and Art. 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The perpetrators face life imprisonment.