SBU says thwarts terrorist attack in Kyiv

During a special raid, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) exposed an enemy asset who had been plotting an act of terror in Ukraine's capital Kyiv.

The culprit is a local resident, recruited by the Belarusian government, the report reads, the SBU press center reports.

Law enforcers detained the perpetrator as he was attempting to set on fire a vehicle parked outside of a nonprofit headquarters in Kyiv.

The investigation has established that he was also involved in intimidating journalists and a number of foreign nationals. To this end, he would post threats and provocative messages near the targeted individuals' homes in Kyiv, as well as issue fake bomb reports.

The SBU also revealed that the suspect had been among those who stood behind unauthorized "rallies" set up outside foreign diplomatic missions in Kyiv where participants would promote destructive agitation.

According to preliminary data, the foreign government tasked their asset with destabilizing the domestic political situation in Ukraine and compromising the country in the eyes of the EU and Belarus citizens.

In addition, the culprit had been collecting personal data on Ukrainian military servicemen based in border areas.

According to the inquiry, the suspect was recruited through an anonymous group on Telegram and then used Russian e-mail services, banned in Ukraine, to receive instructions and report.

He had been receiving money from his supervisors on his bank card.

It has been established that in preparing his attack, the perpetrator purchased a vehicle, flammable materials, and pyrotechnics.

Formal charges have already been pressed against the culprit who remains in custody. The court is yet to rule on a measure of restraint pending further inquiry.

Criminal proceedings were launched under Art. 111 (treason) and Art. 258 (terrorist act) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The raid was run by the SBU cyber operatives jointly with the National Police, under the procedural guidance of the Sviatoshynskyi District Prosecutor's Office in Kyiv.