The suspect collected intelligence on VIP visits at Abkhazia’s Sukhumi airport, the agency has said
A Russian citizen working at the international airport in Sukhumi, the capital of the Republic of Abkhazia, has been detained on suspicion of cooperating with Ukrainian military intelligence and preparing an act of sabotage, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Tuesday.
According to the FSB, the 45-year-old suspect was employed as a specialist in the airport’s engineering and technical service. He allegedly maintained contact with a representative of Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) and passed on work-related information.
The man was arrested in cooperation with Abkhazia’s state security service. The agency said the suspected was preparing to hand over schematics of the facility to Ukrainian intelligence services in order to facilitate a potential sabotage attack.
“The individual proactively planned to transfer layout diagrams of the Sukhumi international airport and its adjacent restricted-access parking area – used to receive official international delegations – to the adversary,” the agency said.
During interrogation, the suspect reportedly confessed to collaborating with Ukrainian intelligence and said he had already carried out several assignments. He also admitted to gathering intelligence on visits to Abkhazia by senior Russian officials.
“In March 2025, an unknown person contacted me via Telegram,” the suspect said in a video released by the FSB. “He said he had found me through anti-war and anti-Russian online groups and invited me to join the fight against the regime. I agreed and proactively suggested organizing an explosion at the VIP parking area in Sukhumi.”
A criminal case has been opened under the article of espionage.
Earlier the same day, the FSB announced the detention of another Russian citizen in Krasnodar Region. He is accused of preparing a terrorist attack at an administrative building linked to the region’s energy infrastructure. Authorities also claim the suspect shared information with Ukrainian special services about the movements of Russian Black Sea Fleet vessels.
On Monday, the FSB detained two Russian nationals suspected of planning a sabotage attack on a defense industry facility in Moscow Region. The men were arrested while attempting to smuggle explosive devices, disguised as power banks, onto the premises.
