Russia's security service detains suspect over energy infrastructure plot

On July 15, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said it had thwarted an alleged terrorist attack on an oil facility in the city of Nyagan in the Khanty-Mansi autonomous region of western Siberia, detaining a Russian citizen it accused of acting on instructions from Ukrainian intelligence.

In a statement, the FSB said the suspect retrieved an improvised explosive device from a hidden cache before attempting to flee, Caliber.Az reports per Russian media.

He was arrested, and officers seized the explosive device along with mobile phones that the agency said contained correspondence with an alleged handler.

The FSB said criminal proceedings had been opened on charges of terrorism and the illegal trafficking of explosive materials.

The security service also alleged that the suspect had provided information on fuel and energy infrastructure in the region to Ukrainian intelligence services.

According to the FSB, the man told investigators during questioning that he had begun communicating with an officer of Ukrainian intelligence.

By Aghakazim Guliyev