So far this year, Russian security forces have thwarted 172 attacks.
On August 12, 2025, the Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia arrested a Russian-Ukrainian individual who was plotting to assassinate a senior Defense Ministry official using a car bomb loaded with 60 kilograms of explosives near Moscow, reports 24brussels.
The FSB stated that the suspect was detained while attempting to employ a homemade explosive device disguised in a vehicle for the attack, intended to detonate as the high-ranking official passed by. This latest incident adds to a series of foiled plots involving explosives that Russian authorities have attributed to Ukrainian special services.
Over the past year, Russian officials have reported multiple failed attempts involving car bombs aimed at military and government targets. The striking death of Russian Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik, who was killed in a car explosion in the Moscow region on April 25, underlines the severity of this security threat.
According to the National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC), Russian security forces have successfully disrupted 172 terrorist attacks targeting critical infrastructure and military personnel in 2025. This marks a significant increase in terrorist incidents attributed to individuals allegedly influenced by Ukrainian intelligence and neo-Nazi entities, stated NAC chairman Alexander Bortnikov, who also leads the FSB.
Bortnikov reported that over half of those arrested in connection with these crimes are young individuals, including minors. Among the foiled attacks, nine were directed at educational institutions, and 18 were linked to migrants. Russian authorities have intensified operations against migrants following a jihadist attack in March 2024 that resulted in nearly 150 fatalities.
“The number of terrorist activities involving citizens from Central Asian countries is on the rise, with certain international terrorist groups and Ukrainian intelligence seeking to recruit them,” Bortnikov added, revealing that two of the 18 planned attacks were orchestrated by Ukrainian operatives.
