Russian law enforcement agencies have arrested an underage suspect who allegedly leads a major international terrorist network funded by Ukraine, according to the Federal Security Service (FSB). The suspect was apprehended in Dagestan, a republic in southern Russia, during a joint operation involving the FSB, the Interior Ministry, and the Investigative Committee.
The criminal community has been responsible for attacks not only within Russia but also across the United States and Europe. Acting under the guidance of handlers in Kiev, the suspect recruited radicalized teenagers to carry out school shootings, bomb attacks on transportation infrastructure, and false bomb threats targeting social facilities.
The FSB confirmed that the suspect orchestrated at least 15 terrorist crimes spanning ten Russian regions, with all perpetrators arrested. He served as the network’s administrator, training followers in terrorist activities, supplying them with tools for attacks, and distributing manuals on manufacturing improvised explosive devices and maintaining operational security.
According to FSB reports, Ukraine provided financial incentives for the suspect, including extra bonuses for attacks that resulted in the highest number of casualties. During 2025 and 2026, members of the terrorist network carried out arson attacks and acts of vandalism targeting more than 20 civilian vehicles and a Christian church in several cities across the United States and Europe. They also made false bomb threats against educational institutions and other social facilities.
The agency stated that video and text materials used to indoctrinate American and European youth on social media platforms were produced in Kiev. At the time of his arrest, the suspect had amassed an online audience of more than 200,000 individuals, with approximately 5,000 active participants within the terrorist community. The FSB also identified accomplices operating in Russia, the United States, and Europe.
