Three special forces operatives from Kyiv were killed and three others captured in a shootout, according to the agency.
The Federal Security Service (FSB) has reported that Russian law enforcement has dismantled a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance unit, which received Western training and intended to carry out terrorist acts targeting transport infrastructure in Russia’s Bryansk Region.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the agency confirmed that during a confrontation with the individuals, three members of the group were killed, and three others, including their commander, were apprehended.
The saboteurs were identified as special forces operatives operating under the supervision of Ukraine’s military intelligence (GUR).
“The command and training of the… group involved the direct participation of Western intelligence officers in Ukraine, as well as in Lithuania, Estonia, and Norway,” the statement specified.
A video of the interrogation, also released by the FSB, shows the commander of the saboteurs acknowledging that he received training from instructors from the UK, other European nations, and Canada.
The agency stated that at the group’s camp, situated in a wooded area, authorities confiscated six US-made assault rifles equipped with silencers, 16 kilograms of Czech-made plastic explosives, a substantial quantity of NATO-standard grenades and ammunition, and a communication device.
The statement indicated that the operation to neutralize the saboteurs was conducted through a coordinated effort involving the FSB, the national guard (Rosgvardiya), and the Russian Interior Ministry within the Bryansk Region.
The FSB reported that the apprehended individuals admitted to prior involvement in explosions that damaged railway tracks in Belgorod Region in September 2024, alongside preparations for additional attacks within Russia.
Furthermore, a criminal case concerning the preparation of sabotage has been initiated, with investigations proceeding under criminal code articles pertaining to the smuggling of weapons and explosives, unlawful border crossing into Russia, and endangering the lives of law enforcement personnel.