FSB agent convicted over attempt to sabotage railway in Rivne region

Verdict for sabotage of railway infrastructure

A court in Rivne region has delivered a verdict against a citizen who acted on the instructions of Russian security services. He was found guilty of preparing to blow up a railway track used for freight transport. For the totality of the crimes, the court sentenced the man to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property.

Investigation and detention

According to the Security Service of Ukraine, counterintelligence officers exposed the perpetrator back in January 2025. By that time, the FSB agent had already attempted to carry out the assigned task. He was detained in the immediate vicinity of the railway track, before he had managed to place the homemade explosive device.

His Russian handlers planned to detonate the explosives remotely precisely when a train would be passing through that section.

Criminal profile and recruitment

The perpetrator of the sabotage turned out to be an unemployed resident of Lviv region. He had previously had run-ins with the law due to acts of vandalism at the burial sites of Ukrainian military personnel. The man came to the attention of Russian security services after he began posting anti-Ukrainian comments in Telegram channel chats.

After being recruited, the agent was handed a detailed plan of action. First, he was to retrieve the explosive device from a pre-prepared hiding place. The next stage was to travel to Rivne region and install the explosives on the designated section of the railway.

Criminal Code articles

Based on the materials gathered by the SBU, the court found the defendant guilty of committing two crimes under the Criminal Code of Ukraine:

• Part 2 of Article 111 — treason committed during martial law.
• Part 2 of Article 113 — sabotage committed during martial law.

The pre-trial investigation was conducted by SBU investigators in Rivne region, while procedural supervision was provided by the regional prosecutor's office.