A plot to blow up the high-voltage lines linked to two of Russia’s nuclear energy plants, timed to disrupt Russia’s May 9 national celebration of the defeat of the Nazis, was discovered and disrupted, according to today’s statement by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB). Officials also presented a video of the testimony of two of the Ukrainians arrested, Eduard Usatenko and Alexandr Maistruk, who tell of being recruited and trained by Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, the SZRU. They were equipped with 36.5 kg of C-4 plastic explosives, 61 foreign-made electric detonators, 38 electronic timers, and two Makarov pistols with ammunition.
Before being captured, they had mined five transmission towers on lines leading to St. Petersburg’s Leningrad nuclear plant, and mined pylons leading to the Kalinin nuclear plant. Their plan involved destroying over 30 pylons bearing the high-voltage lines on the eve of May 9, so as to “cause the shutdown of nuclear reactors, disruption of routine operations of the nuclear power plants, and deliver serious economic and reputational damage to Russia,” according to the FSB’s statement.
