Young Woman Arrested by FSB for Alleged Bomb Plot Against Defense Employee in St. Petersburg

On Thursday, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced the apprehension of a 23-year-old woman who allegedly attempted to plant a bomb beneath the vehicle of a defense industry staff member in St. Petersburg.

The FSB stated that the woman had been monitoring the individual’s movements since relocating to St. Petersburg in April. Neither the suspect nor the defense employee was named.

In footage shared by state news agencies, FSB agents can be seen arresting the woman after she was captured on security cameras placing an object underneath a parked SUV.

“I was instructed to locate the car and was promised payment,” the woman, her face obscured, stated as law enforcement restrained her on the ground.

“I was attempting to plant something under the vehicle,” she further explained in response to inquiries about her actions.

According to the FSB’s report, the woman “proactively reached out” to Ukrainian intelligence services via WhatsApp and Telegram in June 2024.

“She expressed her desire to engage in acts of sabotage and terrorism, seeking their assistance to leave [Russia] and acquire citizenship of an EU nation,” the law enforcement agency detailed.

Prior to her move to St. Petersburg, the woman faced accusations of vandalizing railway infrastructure with anti-war graffiti and attempting to ignite fires in the Moscow region.

She has been placed in pre-trial detention and is facing charges of attempted terrorism as well as illegal possession and transport of explosives.