Russia Says Girl Tried to Bomb Defense Worker for Ukraine in EU Citizenship Deal

Russian security services have detained a 22-year-old woman accused of attempting to plant an improvised explosive device (IED) under the vehicle of a defense industry employee in St. Petersburg, the Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Wednesday.

According to the FSB Public Relations Center, the woman, a Russian citizen born in 2002, was intercepted while planting the explosive device under the targeted car. Authorities allege she was acting under instructions from Ukrainian special services.

“The activities of a Russian citizen, born in 2002, involved in preparing a terrorist act on orders from Ukrainian special services, have been stopped,” the agency said. “At the moment of planting an IED under the vehicle of a terrorist target, she was detained by FSB officers.”

Investigators revealed that the suspect had reached out to a Ukrainian intelligence contact in June 2024 via Telegram and WhatsApp, offering to carry out sabotage and terrorism in exchange for help leaving Russia and obtaining European Union citizenship.

FSB officials said that prior to the attempted bombing, the woman allegedly carried out other acts at the direction of her handler. These included painting pro-Ukrainian slogans in public areas across the Moscow region and attempting to set fire to a railway facility.

In April 2025, she reportedly traveled to St. Petersburg to surveil the targeted defense employee. The FSB said she received an IED from her Ukrainian contacts and was promised payment after completing the mission.

The woman has been taken into custody. Authorities have opened a criminal case under articles covering attempted terrorism and the illegal handling of explosives. Investigators are also looking into the possibility of charging her with high treason.

Senior Russian Navy Officer Killed in Kursk Region

In a separate development, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, Major General Mikhail Gudkov, was killed during combat operations in the Kursk region on July 2, according to the governor of Primorye, Oleg Kozhemyako.

“Guards Major General, Hero of Russia, Hero of Primorye, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy... died while performing his duty as an officer together with his fellow soldiers,” Kozhemyako stated in a message on Telegram.

Gudkov, who previously led the 155th Separate Guards Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet, had only recently been appointed Deputy Commander-in-Chief for Coastal and Land Forces in March. He was awarded the Gold Star medal in 2023 for what the Ministry of Defense described as "courage, heroism and skillful command."

The incident in which Gudkov was killed took place in a border area of the Kursk region. Fellow officer Nariman Shikhaliev also died during the same engagement.