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Suspected Russian agents arrested for sabotage plot to derail military train

Ukraine’s Security Service says it prevented casualties and equipment damage in Rivne Oblast by stopping a defense cargo train before it reached tracks damaged by explosives.

byYuri Zoria

16/01/2025

2 minute read

suspected russian agents arrested sabotage plot derail military train remotely initiated explosive device used saboteurs rivne oblast damage rail tracks reported correspondence suspects handlers railway rusnia ukraine's security service says

Remotely initiated explosive device used by Russian saboteurs in Rivne Oblast to damage the rail tracks. Screenshot of reported correspondence of the suspects with their Russian handlers. Photo: SBU

Suspected Russian agents arrested for sabotage plot to derail military train

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced on 16 January the arrest of Russian agents who detonated explosives on railway tracks during the movement of a military cargo train in Rivne Oblast.

Amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, Russia’s espionage and sabotage activities are on the rise in Ukraine, with the SBU regularly reporting arrests of suspected spies and saboteurs.

Law enforcement reported neutralizing a Russian special services sabotage group operating in the region, according to SBU. According to investigators, the suspects detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) on railway tracks during the movement of a defense forces cargo train.

SBU says its personnel managed to stop the train at a safe distance from the incident site and secured the location, preventing any accidents or casualties. The train continued its journey after track restoration, the agency explained.

The Service noted they managed to detain the suspects who attempted to flee the scene “in hot pursuit.”

Suspected Russian-recruited saboteurs in Rivne Oblast. Photo: SBU

The suspects are two local residents aged 30 and 32, who were reportedly recruited by a Russian spy agency through Telegram channels offering “quick earnings,” the SBU stated.

The investigation provided the following details:

The suspects manufactured the IED using plastic explosive obtained from a cache prepared in advance
They planted explosives under the rails and activated them remotely as the military train approached
The Russians hoped to disrupt railway logistics supplying defense cargo to Ukrainian troops at the front
During searches, law enforcement seized IED components and mobile phones containing evidence of the suspects’ subversive activities for Russia

The suspects have been charged with sabotage committed under martial law. They face maximum sentences of life imprisonment with property confiscation. The suspects remain in custody as the investigation continues to establish all circumstances of the crime.

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