Everything will be done to make sure that those “rascals” are punished, Aleksandr Bortnikov has vowed
The identities of those who are organizing terrorist attacks against Russia are known to the country’s security agencies, the head of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) Aleksandr Bortnikov has said.
During his interview with Russia 1, a local television network, which was broadcast on Sunday, Bortnikov was asked to comment on the order given by President Vladimir Putin to the FSB last week to establish the names of “traitors” responsible for the attempted incisions into Russian territory from Ukraine in the run up to the presidential election held on March 15-17 and following its conclusion. “We will punish them without statute of limitations, wherever they are,” the head of state said.
The failed cross-border attacks had been claimed by the self-proclaimed Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) and Russian Freedom Legion, paramilitary units said to be composed of Russian defectors who are collaborating with Kiev. Both groups have been designated as terrorist organizations by Moscow.
”We see the problems that exist, given the events taking place in Ukraine. This cannot but worry us,” the FSB chief said regarding the attempted incursions from Ukraine into Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk Regions.
All the security agencies in Russia, not only the FSB, are “actively working” on this issue, he assured.
”There are those who left [the country] and organized combat units. There are those who intended to do this… We know who the organizers of the preparation and implementation of [terrorist] actions on our territory are,” Bortnikov said.
“We will do everything possible to track down and punish those rascals,” he promised.
Russia’s Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said last week that the Ukrainian forces had incurred 3,500 casualties during their unsuccessful eight-day attempt to breach the Russian border. These included at least 790 “irretrievable losses,” he said, presumably alluding to those killed in action.
During this period, Russian troops eliminated 23 tanks, 34 armored vehicles (including 11 US-made Bradleys), as well as five Czech-supplied Vampire multiple rocket launchers and a Mi-8 helicopter, according to Shoigu.
