The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has reported that Russian special services orchestrated the explosion at a military recruitment center in Rivne on 1 February, which killed the suspect who carried the bomb and injured eight Ukrainian servicemen.
The revelation lends credence to the claim that Russia’s special services have played a hand in Ukraine’s mobilization woes, which are intensifying amid a drastic infantry shortage on the frontline and creeping Russian gains.
According to the SBU press service, the suspect, a 21-year-old unemployed man from Zhytomyr Oblast, was recruited by a Russian special services representative through Telegram channels with the offer of quick money for completing a task.
Armed assailant kills military recruitment officer, while deadly explosion rocks recruitment center in Ukraine
The SBU’s investigation found that the man traveled to Rivne with an improvised explosive device (IED) disguised as a tourist backpack. The IED was equipped with a mobile phone that Russian agents could detonate remotely. The SBU states that Russia planned in advance to eliminate the suspect as an “unnecessary” witness to the attack.
Using a phone camera carried by the suspect, Russian operatives reportedly observed him entering the recruitment premises with the IED and triggered the device. The explosion killed the suspect instantly and wounded eight.
The deadly Rivne attack occurred on the same day a Ukrainian serviceman escorting newly mobilized recruits was shot dead in Poltava Oblast, highlighting rising tensions surrounding Ukraine’s mobilization efforts amid the ongoing war with Russia.
Ukraine’s military recruitment centers have faced increasing controversy and accusations of abuses as the country works to bolster its ranks to counter Russian forces.
The SBU continues to investigate the Rivne blast as an act of terrorism and stated that the incident confirms Russia’s readiness to sacrifice agents to destabilize Ukraine. The SBU’s findings point to the ongoing threat of Russian sabotage aimed at undermining Ukraine’s security and defense capabilities.
