"Planned mass murders": FSB detained 13 people on suspicion of preparing armed crimes

The FSB has detained individuals suspected of preparing crimes, the agency's Public Relations Center (DSP) said.

“In a number of regions, 13 Russian citizens were detained who were planning massacres using improvised explosive devices, incendiary mixtures, cold weapons, as well as persuading Internet users to commit such crimes,” the service said in a statement.

At the same time, as the department said, "11 of them were members of a closed Internet community of one of the social networks."

Four ready-to-use improvised explosive devices, components for their assembly and production of incendiary mixtures, as well as hunting smooth-bore, traumatic and cold weapons stored with violations, were found at the addresses of the detainees, the special service emphasized.

As noted in the FSB, "the criminal plans of these persons were confirmed by the seized personal diaries and communication means."

Among these materials were found instructions for the manufacture of incendiary and explosive devices, schemes of attacks on educational institutions, buildings of law enforcement structures and places with a mass crowd of people.

From the video released by the department, it follows that one of the young people detained by the FSB for preparing mass murders planned to commit a terrorist attack at a school on September 1.

The footage shows the correspondence in which the detainee talks about plans to stage a terrorist attack in an educational institution on the line and claims that he made a tubular bomb.

At the same time, it is not specified which region is being discussed.

Later, the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia announced the institution of a criminal case against a 15-year-old resident of the Minusinsk region.

According to the preliminary version of the investigation, in the spring of 2020, the suspect "had an intent to commit a terrorist act in an educational school."

To achieve this goal, he studied "instructions for the manufacture of explosive devices, searched for the necessary components and assembled four explosive devices, which he kept until the moment of detention in a non-residential building."

From the message of the Investigative Committee it follows that the young man is suspected of committing crimes under Part 1 of Art.

30 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (preparation for a crime), part 1 of Art.

205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (preparation for a terrorist act), Art.

205.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (training for the purpose of carrying out terrorist activities), part 1 of Art.

222.1 of the Criminal Code of Russia (illegal storage and carrying of explosive devices), part 1 of Art.

223.1 of the Criminal Code of Russia (illegal manufacture of explosive devices).

It is noted that "the teenager did not complete his criminal actions due to circumstances beyond his control in connection with his detention by officers of the regional FSB."

At the same time, the Investigative Committee pointed out that during the interrogation the suspect "fully admitted his guilt and repented of his deed."

Earlier in 2020, security forces prevented several other attacks on Russian schools.

In June in Volgograd, FSB officers detained a 14-year-old teenager.

He was accused of preparing an attack on a school.

During a search in the apartment of the alleged offender, bottles with a "Molotov cocktail" and elements used to create explosive devices were found.

At the same time, the detainee himself said that he did not plan the attack, but wanted to set explosives in action on the wastelands for fun.

At the same time, the investigators reported that, according to their information, the target was an educational institution, and the victim should have been a school employee and one of the students with whom the teenager had a conflict.

In addition, last April, the FSB prevented two attacks on Russian schools at once.

On April 22, in the Tyumen region, FSB officers reported the arrest of an attacker who was planning an armed attack on one of the educational institutions in the region.

A hunting rifle with cartridges, two hunting knives, saltpeter, communications equipment, and instructions for making improvised explosive devices were seized from him.

According to the UK, the young man was going to attack the school in April 2020.

The department noted that these intentions are evidenced by the testimony of the detainee himself, as well as witnesses.

In the same month, in Krasnoyarsk, the FSB announced the arrest of a teenager who was planning an armed attack on a school.

His house was searched, during which they found and seized the sawn-off shotgun of a hunting rifle with cartridges, as well as four objects with the inscription "Exodus", similar to improvised explosive devices.

The detainee himself stated on the video posted by the security forces that he planned to use these devices to attack the school.

During the search, communications and personal diaries containing plans to commit a crime were also found.

According to the preliminary version of the investigation, in January 2020, the teenager began to prepare for the commission of a terrorist attack in Krasnoyarsk.

The attack was supposed to take place in April 2020.

The investigators opened criminal cases against the teenager under several articles of the Criminal Code of Russia, including preparations for a terrorist attack.