Russian forces thwart truck bomb plot near Donetsk voting center

The Russian Federal Security Service announced the detention of a resident of Donetsk who had been preparing to carry out a terrorist act near a polling station during a large public gathering on voting day. According to the agency, the individual acted under direction from Ukrainian intelligence.

In a statement issued Monday, Russia’s security service said: “It has been established that a resident of Donetsk established online contact with representatives of Ukraine’s security apparatus and voluntarily agreed to assist the enemy in carrying out a terrorist act.”

The statement added that, following instructions from his Ukrainian handlers, the suspect retrieved 20 kilograms of explosives intended for the attack from a pre-arranged cache. He also received, via drone, an improvised explosive device containing two kilograms of plastic explosives, electronic detonators, and a remote-detonation control panel.

He loaded the explosives and associated components into his personal vehicle and was scheduled to position it near a polling center in the area, intending to detonate the device during a large crowd gathering as part of the 2026 electoral campaign.

Security forces arrested the suspect before he could execute the criminal plan, the statement confirmed.

In filmed confessions released by the Russian security service, the detained man stated that Ukrainian intelligence promised him $10,000 for carrying out the bombing and pledged to cover all expenses related to his relocation to any country of his choice following the attack.