Russia prevents series of terrorist attacks in Kherson

"Valery Panchuk was detained in the Kherson region on September 21. He, under the coordination of an employee of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine named Vitaly, planned to blow up two high-voltage electricity pylons supplying electricity to the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, as well as the Republic of Crimea," the source said.

The second saboteur was detected in the city of Boryslav and neutralized on September 19 when he resisted with weapons.

Sputnik illustration photo

“10 kg of TNT explosives were confiscated on the spot, as well as a map marking the civilian infrastructure in Boryslav where the man planned to carry out terrorist attacks, including during the referendum,” the source said.

The video of the raid clearly shows the saboteur being neutralized while hiding in a private house, from where he opened fire on Russian security forces. As a result, he was killed by Russian soldiers using a grenade launcher.

At the scene of the clash, in addition to TNT explosives, three homemade explosive devices containing lethal ingredients, three bottles that were probably used to make Molotov cocktails, a scorched Kalashnikov assault rifle, and RPG-22 and RPG-26 grenade launchers were also seized.

According to a Russian security service officer, the neutralized saboteur arrived in Boryslav on September 12. He took TNT from Panchuk’s secret arsenal and manufactured an improvised explosive device, which he intended to use against local government officials, police, National Guard troops and local residents who did not support the Kiev regime.

The detainee, named Panchuk, said that he had previously served in the Ukrainian internal affairs service, and after Russia began its special operation, he was approached by a man named Vitaly, who introduced himself as a Ukrainian intelligence officer. According to the detainee, this person ordered him to report on the deployment of Russian troops and equipment near factories in Nova Kakhovka, including the Nova Kakhovka NKEMZ Electromechanical Plant, to supply TNT explosives, and to order the former police officer to blow up the power lines in Nova Kakhovka.

“I was heading this way, where there are electric poles that carry power lines across the lake to Crimea… I didn’t know which poles to blow up, so I took a video and photos. I didn’t know exactly which poles, they told me I had to blow up some of them,” the newly arrested saboteur said.

He explained that he was afraid that he would be killed if he did not run to safety after detonating the explosives, so he returned to store the explosives for the second saboteur, whom he had spoken to on the phone but assured he did not know the name.

Russian security forces provided Sputnik with a piece of correspondence between the two saboteurs discussing the placement of explosives and the removal of explosives from the warehouse.

The Russian security service also called on the people of Kherson not to listen to such provocations by Ukrainian special services, forcing people to commit acts of terrorism and sabotage in the liberated territories.

"Do not put yourself and your loved ones in danger, because any crime will certainly be punished," - the Russian law enforcement officer concluded.