Mobius 25/2024 – Thwarted Attacks by Russian Agents, Ukraine

On March 5, 2024, security forces in Ukraine arrested a Russian agent residing in the country. The agent was employed by the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and was planning an attack targeting a post office in the city of Zaporizhzhia, in southern Ukraine. IED components were found in the detainee’s possession, including RC initiation systems based on a cellular gate opener, as well as rebreather canisters for use as combustion material. According to the instructions he received from his Russian operators, the agent planned to assemble improvised incendiary devices cased in juice boxes, send them to the post office and, upon receiving notification that the packages had been collected, initiate them remotely inside the post offices.
In recent months, the Security Service of Ukraine has detained small cells and individuals recruited by case officers of Russian intelligence agencies. These recruits were allegedly tasked with carrying out IED attacks targeting railways, gas stations, post offices, and military facilities, aiming to disrupt logistical operations and cause casualties in civilian areas, thereby spreading terror and panic. The efforts of external Russian intelligence agencies to recruit Ukrainian nationals for sabotage and terror attacks have escalated since the expansion of the Russian invasion. The examples outlined in this report offer insight into the potential threat extending beyond the borders of Ukraine.