**Russia Detains Four Suspects in Plot to Kill Defense Ministry Officials**
Russian authorities have arrested four people who allegedly planned to carry out a series of terrorist attacks against high-ranking officials in the Defense Ministry. The Federal Security Service (FSB) made the announcement on December 26.
This comes after the death of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, who was killed by a bomb attached to a scooter in Moscow on December 17. Kirillov, 54, was the head of Russia’s radiation, chemical, and biological defense unit.
**Assassination Plot Allegedly Involved Ukrainian Special Services**
According to the FSB, the four suspects were involved in an alleged plot by Ukrainian special services to assassinate senior military officers. They now face life imprisonment.
One suspect is a Russian citizen who allegedly lived in Ukraine since 2020 and was deported back to Russia through Moldova and Georgia. He is suspected of placing an explosive device disguised as a power bank under the car of a Defense Ministry official.
**Other Targets Included High-Ranking Military Officers**
Another high-ranking military officer was the target of a plot involving a bomb hidden in a folder with documents. The documents were to be delivered by two Russians on instructions from Ukrainian special services, the FSB statement said.
A third suspect is a resident of Moscow who allegedly surveilled the homes and workplaces of Defense Ministry officials and their families, sending photos and videos to handlers in Ukrainian special services.
**Improvised Explosives and Communication Equipment Seized**
The FSB claimed that improvised explosive devices and communication equipment were seized from the four suspects. They have been charged with illegal trafficking in explosives, preparation for a terrorist attack, and high treason.
However, The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims. Ukraine usually does not comment on such arrests by Russian authorities.
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