Russia detains German woman over alleged Ukraine-linked bomb plot

FSB says woman carrying explosive device was part of plot targeting law enforcement facility in southern Russia.

Russian security services said they detained a German woman in the southern city of Pyatigorsk on Monday after finding a makeshift bomb in her backpack, alleging she was part of a Ukraine-directed plot to attack a law enforcement facility.¹²

The FSB said the woman, born in 1969, was carrying a device containing an explosive charge equivalent to 1.5 kilograms of TNT that was intended to be detonated remotely.¹² The agency said the blast was prevented by electronic jamming.¹

Russian authorities said the woman had been recruited by a citizen from a Central Asian country who was working on orders from Ukraine.¹ The FSB said it also detained that man near the targeted site, claiming he believed he was acting on behalf of a terrorist organization while his actions were coordinated by Ukrainian special services.²

Video released by Russian state media showed armed security agents approaching a woman lying face down in a car park, with footage also showing sappers detonating the backpack.¹²

Reuters reported it was unable to immediately verify the details.² Ukraine did not immediately comment on the allegations.² A German foreign ministry spokesperson said the ministry had taken note of the report but declined to elaborate further.²

The FSB characterized the operation as a false flag directed by Ukraine against a law enforcement facility in the Stavropol region.²