The suspect, a foreign national, prepared bladed weapons and Molotov cocktails for the attack, according to the authorities
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has reported that it has thwarted a terrorist plot targeting a school in the southern Republic of Adygea.
In a statement on Tuesday, the agency said it apprehended a suspect near the educational facility, with two knives and ten Molotov cocktails found in his vehicle. The man, a citizen of a Central Asian state, is a supporter of an unnamed international terrorist organization, according to the FSB.
In a video released by the security service, the suspect is heard saying that he arrived in the regional capital, Maykop, after being contacted by a handler on the Telegram messaging app. The man admitted that he had been tasked with setting fire to a local school.
The terrorist plot was coordinated from abroad, the FSB stated, citing information obtained from the suspect’s mobile phone.
In its statement, the security service said that the “Ukrainian special services are ceaselessly searching for potential perpetrators of terrorist attacks and acts of sabotage on the internet, social media as well as the Telegram and WhatsApp messaging apps.”
In early October, the FSB reported that it had detained several suspects across four Russian regions, who were allegedly plotting mass murder. According to the authorities, they were acting on orders received via “destructive internet resources.” Components for homemade explosives and incendiary devices, bladed weapons, and attack plans were seized during the raids.
Later that month, the Russian security service said that it had foiled two separate plots targeting synagogues in Russia, with at least two citizens of a Central Asian country arrested.
Also in October, a Central Asian national was apprehended after allegedly being recruited by a known member of the international terrorist group Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS). According to the FSB, the man had been instructed to assassinate a senior Russian military official, with Ukrainian intelligence services allegedly taking an active part in the plot.
Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, the FSB has regularly reported foiled terrorist plots and sabotage attempts, often involving operatives linked to Kiev’s special services.
Moscow has accused Kiev of escalating terrorist activities on Russian soil as its frontline forces face setbacks.
