Ukrainian security forces have detained a suspected agent of Russian intelligence who allegedly orchestrated an explosion near a war veteran’s home and poisoned a soldier under the guise of providing volunteer aid, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported on March 10.
According to the investigation, the suspect, an IT specialist from Kharkiv, was recruited by Russian intelligence services and tasked with assembling improvised explosive devices (IEDs) containing metal fragments to maximize casualties.
She allegedly hid one of the devices in a designated cache, where an accomplice retrieved it and placed it near the home of a Ukrainian army veteran. The explosion injured the veteran, who was later hospitalized.
The SBU also accused the woman of poisoning a soldier by lacing food and medicine with toxic substances while posing as a volunteer. The serviceman was hospitalized and is in serious condition.
Investigators believe Russian intelligence operatives first approached the suspect before the full-scale invasion when she was visiting relatives in Russia. By early 2025, she was receiving direct instructions from her handlers, the SBU said.
Authorities are now investigating her potential involvement in other crimes. The court has ordered her detention without bail while the case proceeds.
Martin Fornusek
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(Updated: )
