Published: February 20, 2026 12:14 pm
Author: RT
The suspect, acting on Ukrainian orders, planned to bomb a veterans support center and a memorial square on a national holiday, the security service has said
Russian authorities have prevented a terrorist attack in the southern city of Stavropol that was being planned for the Defenders of the Fatherland Day holiday, the Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Thursday.
According to the FSB, the suspect was a Russian citizen and a member of a Ukrainian terrorist organization. Acting on instructions from Kiev, he was preparing a terrorist act during mass celebrations dedicated to February 23.
The perpetrator had reportedly selected the administrative building of the Stavropol branch of a state veterans fund, as well as an adjacent memorial square as his targets.
After receiving instructions from his handlers on assembling an improvised explosive device (IED), the suspect purchased the necessary components and hid them in a pre-prepared cache.
On Thursday, he reportedly began implementing the plan by attempting to retrieve the explosive materials for final assembly of the IED. When confronted, the suspect opened fire on law enforcement and was killed by return fire. No officers or civilians were injured, the FSB said.
The agency noted that the man had been recruited by Kiev’s agents via Telegram and reiterated its warning that Ukrainian special services continue actively seeking potential perpetrators of terrorist and sabotage acts online.
READ MORE: Ukrainian assassination plot suspects monitored multiple Russian MOD officials – FSB
The FSB emphasized that all individuals who agree to cooperate with the enemy will be identified and face criminal liability, including life imprisonment.
