Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) reported on Monday that it has foiled a planned sabotage attack targeting an oil installation in the Komi Republic, western Russia.
Two Russian citizens were killed in a shootout during an arrest attempt. The suspects allegedly acted under instructions from Ukrainian intelligence services and established covert contact through messaging apps, passing information about regional oil refining facilities as well as details of Russian military personnel and law enforcement officers, according to an FSB press release.
The men were tracked to a pre-arranged cache in the city of Ukhta, where they were retrieving drones equipped with improvised explosive devices intended for use against a nearby oil facility. When authorities moved in to arrest them, they encountered armed resistance that led to a fatal shootout. No security personnel or civilians were injured.
At the scene, officials recovered two drones fitted with explosive payloads of foreign origin, two Makarov pistols, and mobile phones containing data confirming the suspects’ activities. Footage released by the FSB shows the moment of the shootout and photos taken at the suspects’ hideout displaying equipment they had retrieved.
The specific facility targeted remains undisclosed. A criminal case has been opened on charges of preparing an act of sabotage. The agency also warned that Ukrainian intelligence services are actively recruiting operatives online, including through social media platforms such as Telegram and WhatsApp, and stated those who work with Kyiv will be identified and prosecuted.
Last week, the FSB foiled another operation involving Russian neo-Nazis guided by Ukraine to carry out bomb attacks against Andrey Lipov, head of Roskomnadzor (the Russian media regulator), and his deputies. Seven members of the network—identified as young adults—were targeted in raids across four cities, and a man in his early 20s identified as the ringleader was killed in Moscow after opening fire on officers attempting to apprehend him.
