The suspect allegedly intended to detonate a home-made bomb at a military building in a southern port city

A foreign national residing in Russia has been apprehended before he could detonate a bomb targeting a military-related building on orders from Ukraine, the Federal Security Service (FSB) has reported.

Revealed on Friday, the alleged plot was uncovered in the city of Novorossiysk, home to a large Russian Navy base. The suspect, a Belarusian in his mid-20s, admitted to investigators that he intended to profit by acting as an agent for the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).

His role as an intelligence asset began in December 2024, as reported by the Russian agency. Initially, he conducted surveillance on Russian troops and Black Sea Navy ships for Ukraine, but he later moved on to plotting acts of terrorism, the FSB claimed.

Footage released by the agency shows the detained man directing officers to a cache containing components necessary for assembling a homemade bomb, including approximately 2.5 kg of plastic explosives, a military-grade fuse, and a radio doorbell for remote detonation. The intended target was an administrative building used by Russian troops, the suspect said.

The FSB frequently apprehends individuals suspected of planning violent acts on behalf of Kiev. Earlier this month, law enforcement detained a Russian military serviceman allegedly en route to collect bomb components from a dead drop. The report claimed that the device was intended to be used against a dormitory housing Russian cadets.

Last month, the FSB disclosed a purported Ukrainian letter bomb scheme, where explosive devices were disguised as perfume gifts rigged to detonate upon receipt. The parcels were intercepted by postal services in the Yekaterinburg region, leading to the arrest of a suspect.