MOSCOW: Russia’s FSB security service said on Tuesday that it had arrested 40 people, including minors, whom it accused of supporting “Ukrainian terrorist” groups across various regions.
Moscow frequently apprehends people it claims are acting on Ukraine’s orders, often on charges of sabotage, while banning criticism of its military actions against its neighbor.
According to the FSB, “thirty-nine radicals aged 14 to 35, supporters of banned Ukrainian terrorist organizations,” were taken into custody. The agency accused them of “inciting children and adolescents to commit violent acts against state officials, classmates, and teachers.”
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The FSB reported that “nine minors” were allegedly involved in planning “armed attacks on educational and religious institutions” and were communicating online with “Ukrainian handlers.”
The operation was conducted in coordination with the interior ministry across 79 regions. The FSB released footage showing armed officers detaining teenagers and raiding what appeared to be family homes.
In one clip, an officer reassures a woman, whose face is blurred, as she opens the door to her wooden house: “Don’t be scared, it’s the Federal Security Service.” Another scene shows an officer escorting a young teen through a living room filled with toys towards a police van.
Since the onset of the Ukraine offensive, Russia has implemented a widespread crackdown on dissent.
