SBU Detains Russian Agent Who Prepared Weapons Cache for Contract Killings in Odesa

The suspect allegedly hid a grenade and assault rifle in a public park as part of a plot targeting a local military recruitment official. Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied (Photo by SBU) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) said it has detained a suspected Russian agent who prepared a weapons cache in Odesa intended for planned contract killings. The suspect, a resident of Poltava, was recruited by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) through Telegram channels offering quick earnings, the SBU said on Thursday, April 9. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . According to investigators, the agent was sent to Odesa, where he retrieved a cache containing a grenade, an assault rifle, and ammunition based on coordinates provided by his handlers. He later hid the weapons in a new location, including inside trash containers in a central city park, and passed the coordinates to Russian operatives. The SBU said Russian intelligence planned to recruit a hitman to use the weapons in an assassination attempt targeting a local military recruitment official, with the possibility of further attacks. The suspect was detained after returning to Poltava, and a mobile phone used to communicate with Russian handlers was seized. He has been charged with high treason and illegal weapons handling under Ukrainian law. If convicted, he faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property. The SBU also identified the Russian handler, who has been charged in absentia. Yuliia Zavadska is a news writer at Kyiv Post. She has experience in breaking news coverage, fact-checking, and digital journalism, with a focus on fast, accurate reporting and clear storytelling. Before joining Kyiv Post, she worked as a news feed editor for several leading Ukrainian media outlets.