The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) says it has established the circumstances surrounding the recruitment of a terrorist whom Russian intelligence used to blow up a military enlistment office in Rivne on 1 February.

Source: SSU press service

Quote: "A man was deliberately blown up along with the explosives he had carried into the building. As a result, the terrorist was killed instantly and eight servicemen sustained injuries of varying degrees of severity. It has been confirmed that Russia had planned in advance to eliminate their asset in order to dispose of a witness to the terrorist attack against Ukraine's defence forces."

Details: According to the case materials, the terrorist has been identified as a 21-year-old unemployed man from Zhytomyr Oblast who had been searching on Telegram channels for quick ways to make money.

He was recruited by a Russian intelligence officer who promised payment in exchange for carrying out an assignment, the SSU says.

The asset was instructed to proceed to Rivne with an improvised explosive device concealed in a backpack. The IED was equipped with a mobile phone, allowing Russian intelligence operators to detonate it remotely. The asset was holding another remote control device as he entered the military enlistment office.

Russian operators reportedly utilised the phone's camera to authenticate when the asset had entered the building before activating the device via a phone call.

An investigation is ongoing within the framework of a criminal case initiated by SSU investigators under Article 258.3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (act of terrorism).

Background:

• On 1 February, an explosion occurred inside the Rivne Oblast military enlistment office. Initial reports stated that one person had been killed and six injured.
• Recent months have seen an increase in attempted terrorist attacks targeting administrative buildings. Russian agents have been focusing on institutions such as the police, military enlistment offices, the SSU, the Military Law Enforcement Service and the Ukrainian postal service, among others.

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