Ukrainian special services recruit Russian national to assassinate Crimea Governor

The Federal Security Bureau (FSB) of Russia prevented an assassination attempt on the head of the Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, the press service of the department said on July 3.

According to the FSB, Ukrainian special services recruited a 34-year-old Russian to conduct the operation. The name of the perpetrator has not been disclosed. The attacker was detained while trying to pick up an explosive device from a cache. A criminal case was filed against the man into an attempted terrorist attack and illegal acquisition of explosives.

The FSB published a the video showing the detention of the alleged terrorist. The footage shows a man in a tracksuit walking down the street when camouflaged security officers suddenly jump out of a vehicle knocking the man down and handcuffing him.

The video also shows the explosive device that the perpetrator was going to pick up from the cache. The detainee said that in December 2022 he was recruited by the Security Service of Ukraine. His call sign was Karate.

Afterwards, the Russian went to Ukraine, where he was trained in mine blasting, reconnaissance and subversive activities.

The saboteur was then given a task to come to Crimea's Simferopol, rent an apartment, buy a phone and get a job. He was supposed to plant a bomb in a car to subsequently blow up Sergei Aksenov's motorcade.

Sergei Aksyonov later said that those who ordered his assassination attempt would be identified and held accountable. Aksyonov also thanked the security forces for their effective work.