On Tuesday, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced the detention of a 17-year-old in the western Kaliningrad region for allegedly plotting to attack a Russian Orthodox church.
The FSB stated that the unnamed teenager was recruited through Telegram by a “terrorist organization” that they claimed is “coordinated” by Ukrainian intelligence agencies.
According to the law enforcement agency, the boy’s “illegal activities were prevented” right as he attempted to execute his plan near the church, although the specific church and its location were not disclosed.
FSB operatives reported that they confiscated “terrorist devices” and a mobile phone that the youth purportedly used for communication with a handler.
State media released an FSB video showing masked agents subduing the teenager to the ground. In this footage, he expresses a desire to “set the church on fire.”
Russia’s Investigative Committee, responsible for investigating serious crimes, announced that it has initiated a terrorism investigation, with the teenager now in custody while authorities work to identify any other individuals who may be involved.