The Ukrainian Security Service has arrested Russian agents who were preparing a terrorist attack against civilians in a hypermarket in Kyiv. They will be tried for terrorism, treason and sabotage and will receive life imprisonment.

Thanks to the SBU, agents of the Russian game who prepared terrorist attacks in Kyiv and Lviv will appear before the court

The Security Service has completed a pre-trial investigation into four members of the Russian game intelligence-combat group, which was neutralized by the SBU in the spring of 2024. Thanks to the evidence base collected by the Ukrainian special service, several perpetrators face life imprisonment with confiscation of property.

On the eve of May 9, those involved were preparing a series of large-scale explosions in construction hypermarkets and near cafes in Kyiv.

According to the case materials, the agents received such a task from their Russian supervisor, Yuriy Syzov, a staff member of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces (better known as Gru).

On his instructions, the agents arrived in Kyiv, where they installed explosive devices in three construction hypermarkets.

Homemade explosives were disguised in tea packages and were to detonate in hypermarkets to cause maximum damage to the civilian population.

At the same time, attackers were preparing another explosion near a popular cafe in the capital. For this, they planned to replace the car parked nearby.

Counterintelligence and SBU investigators worked to anticipate and prevent a series of terrorist attacks. As a result of a multi-stage special operation, the subversive activities of the entire intelligence-combat group Gru together with its Russian curator were documented step by step.

The security service caught enemy agents red-handed when they were setting up explosive devices in a Kyiv hypermarket.

Subsequently, the SBU detained two more members of the enemy group. They turned out to be smugglers who were transporting explosives from Russia for the perpetrators of terrorist attacks.

It was established that the explosives suppliers were to ensure the "evacuation" of one of the bombers to the territory of the Russian Federation by order of the Russian military. It was planned to bring him to the border with Russia and provide detailed instruction on crossing it.

In addition, as evidenced by the proceedings, Yuriy Syzov, an employee of the Russian Army, was also responsible for the sabotage that was to take place in Lviv Oblast in February 2024. Then the SBU once again acted in advance and prevented explosions at one of the defense enterprises.

Based on the evidence collected by SBU investigators, the accused will be tried in accordance with the crimes committed by them under the following articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:
▪ Part 2 of Art. 111 (treason);
▪ Part 3 of Art. 113 (sabotage);
▪ Part 2 of Art. 258 (terrorist act);
▪ Part 1 of Art. 263 (illegal handling of explosive substances and explosive devices);
▪ Part 2 of Art. 332 (organization of illegal crossing of the state border).

The investigation was conducted under the procedural guidance of the Lviv Regional Prosecutor's Office.

• Ukrainian Security Service, September 18, 2024