Over the past 24 hours, the SBU has detained the perpetrators of two terrorist attacks in Odesa: among them are students and a repeat offender

This was reported by the SBU.

According to the investigation, two students from a local technical college were involved in the first explosion. Acting on orders from Russian intelligence agencies, they planted a homemade explosive device under a Ukrainian servicemember’s car.

In addition, they installed a video camera with remote-access capabilities near the car, disguised inside a juice carton. Using this device, Russian handlers monitored the moment when the soldier approached the car, after which they remotely detonated the explosive.

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As a result of the explosion, the soldier sustained minor injuries, and the vehicle was significantly damaged.

Law enforcement officers also detained a suspect in a second terrorist attack that occurred on the same day. According to investigators, a local repeat offender, who had previously been convicted multiple times for drug trafficking, planted a homemade explosive device under the car of a civilian man who worked part-time as a taxi driver.

According to preliminary expert findings, the explosive device had a yield of nearly half a kilogram in TNT equivalent. Russian special services remotely detonated the device while the car was in motion.

As a result of the explosion, the driver died at the scene, and his female passenger suffered severe injuries and was hospitalized.

The investigation established that all three suspects were recruited through Telegram channels, where they were offered “easy money.” During searches, their cell phones and SIM cards were seized, containing evidence of collaboration with Russian special services.

Two of the detainees have already been notified of charges under Part 2 of Article 258 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (“Terrorist Act”), which carries a sentence of up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property. The third suspect is charged under Part 3 of Article 258 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (“Terrorist act resulting in the death of a person”). He faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.

All suspects are currently in custody.

As a reminder, on July 28, two cars exploded in Odesa. In the evening, during the second explosion, the driver of one of the cars was killed instantly. A female passenger was injured and hospitalized.