Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) says it has arrested two men suspected of preparing a drone attack against a critical component of Moscow’s missile defence network and an electricity
infrastructure facility. According to the Russian agency, the operation was allegedly organised by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), with the drones intended to be controlled remotely from Ukrainian territory.
In a statement issued on Monday, the FSB claimed the suspects had obtained first-person-view (FPV) drones and explosives from two separate Russian regions before transporting the equipment to the Moscow region. Investigators allege that the men subsequently assembled and activated the drones in preparation for the planned operation.
The agency said the devices were intended to strike two targets: an electricity infrastructure installation and what it described as a key element of the Russian capital’s missile defence system. According to the FSB, operators based in Ukraine would have controlled the drones remotely.
Russian officials further alleged that one of the suspects had been recruited by an SBU officer and travelled to Russia specifically to prepare and carry out the attack. The individual was reportedly promised financial compensation for participating in the operation and subsequently enlisted an acquaintance to assist him.
Both men were detained by FSB officers before the alleged attack could be carried out, the agency said. The Russian service characterised the suspected operation as an act of sabotage and terrorism.
Neither the SBU nor the Ukrainian government had immediately commented on the Russian allegations. The claims have not been independently verified, and no further details about the suspects, the intended targets or the evidence supporting the accusations were immediately available.
The reported arrests come amid an intensifying campaign of drone attacks between Russia and Ukraine. Moscow has faced repeated attempts to strike targets in and around the capital, while Russian forces have continued attacking Ukrainian energy facilities and other critical infrastructure.
The growing use of drones has become a defining feature of the conflict, allowing both sides to target military installations and strategically important facilities far behind the front lines. The latest Russian announcement highlights the continuing security concerns surrounding potential attacks on critical infrastructure, although the circumstances of the alleged plot remain unclear. Photo by АрміяІнформ, Wikimedia commons.
