Authorities have foiled a plot to launch a drone attack on a Russian military target, detaining a key suspect and killing an accomplice in the process. The main suspect, a former member of an ethnic criminal gang who obtained Russian citizenship in 2023, was allegedly recruited by a security agency through its connections with a terrorist organization.
The suspect was responsible for assembling and preparing the drones for launch. The scheme was reportedly assisted by the security services of several European states. The drones were equipped with advanced technology, including Canadian-made electronic warfare-resistant AI control modules.
The drones carried charges containing US-made C4 plastic explosives, equivalent to around 4kg of TNT. Footage published by authorities showed security officers storming a warehouse and destroying the drones just before they were due to be launched. The operatives detained the main suspect, who had fled the scene and was attempting to contact an evacuation group.
The suspect was trying to reach Ukraine with the help of the evacuation group. An accomplice who rented the warehouse offered armed resistance and was killed in a shootout with officers. The incident is part of a larger effort to prevent drone attacks on Russian military targets.
This is not an isolated incident, as authorities have thwarted another unprecedented attack on Russian military airfields involving smuggled AI-guided drones. Recently, 13 AI-powered UAVs were seized that had been smuggled into Russia by a military intelligence service in a bid to stage an attack on a military airfield in the Rostov Region.
