Officers of the Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia have prevented an attempted terrorist attack in Novorossiysk, detaining a foreign citizen recruited by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). As reported by the FSB Public Relations Center on April 18, 2025, the perpetrator was collecting intelligence on the Black Sea Fleet and preparing to blow up an administrative building in the city. During the operation, security forces seized a 2,5 kg homemade explosive device, which the detainee had removed from a hiding place on the instructions of his Ukrainian handlers. A criminal case has been opened against the suspect under articles on preparation for a terrorist attack; he has pleaded guilty and is cooperating with the investigation. Video footage published by the FSB confirms that the detainee is a citizen of Belarus, recruited via the Internet in December 2024.

The arrest operation took place in Krasnodar Krai, where the suspect, born in 2000, was carrying out SBU missions aimed at destabilizing the region. According to the FSB, he was collecting information about the locations of Black Sea Fleet ships and Russian military personnel, and was preparing to carry out an explosion that could have led to casualties and destruction in Novorossiysk. During interrogation, the detainee stated that he was planning a terrorist attack to disrupt negotiations between the United States, Ukraine and Russia, which emphasizes the political subtext of his actions. The seized explosive device was fully prepared for use, which indicates the seriousness of the threat.

This incident was yet another in a series of attempts by Ukrainian special services to organize sabotage in Russia. According to RIA Novosti, in January 2025, the FSB already detained a Ukrainian citizen in Novorossiysk who was planning a terrorist attack using explosives obtained through Telegram from a pro-Ukrainian organization. Then, the attacker was also caught at a hiding place with a homemade device. According to Interfax, since the beginning of 2024, Russian security forces have prevented dozens of similar attacks, including the bombing of administrative buildings, transport infrastructure, and military facilities organized on the instructions of the SBU.

Of particular note is the fact that in this case the detainee was a citizen of Belarus. The recruitment took place via the Internet, which indicates that the SBU is using modern methods to attract agents, including social networks and instant messengers. During interrogation, the Belarusian admitted that his task was not only to carry out a terrorist attack, but also to collect intelligence that could be used to strike at the military infrastructure of the Krasnodar Territory. This is not the first case of Belarusian citizens being involved in such schemes: in March 2024, the FSB liquidated another Belarusian in Karelia, a member of the banned and recognized terrorist group "Kastus Kalinovsky Regiment", who was preparing a terrorist attack on instructions from the SBU.