Arrest Made in Lviv Terror Attack
Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) and National Police have apprehended the individual responsible for a terrorist bombing in Lviv during the night of February 22. The suspect, a 33-year-old woman from the Rivne region, was acting on instructions from Russian intelligence services. The explosions resulted in the death of one police officer and injuries to 25 people, including a minor. This attack is part of a broader pattern of Russian efforts to destabilize Ukraine from within.
The suspect manufactured three improvised explosive devices, which were planted near a grocery store. To lure law enforcement to the scene, she placed a call to the emergency line 102. The first device detonated upon the arrival of patrol officers, with the second and third devices activated as additional units responded. According to the investigation, a smartphone was found in her apartment, intended to livestream the events directly to her Russian handlers, who then remotely triggered the bombs.
Investigation Findings
The suspect was detained within 10 hours of the attack at the Sambir railway station. Evidence of her collaboration with the Russian Federation was seized. She has been charged with committing a terrorist act under Part 3 of Article 258 of Ukraine's Criminal Code, as well as the illegal handling of weapons under Article 263.
SBU representative Ivan Rudnytsky stated that the service began investigating the attack from the first minutes and noted the suspect had planned to flee Ukraine, but her escape was prevented by law enforcement. Meanwhile, National Police Chief Ihor Klymenko emphasized that Russia is using Ukrainian citizens in its operations, pointing out that those recruited often receive no reward and instead risk life imprisonment.
"In some cases, the perpetrators of terrorist attacks may be eliminated during the attempt to plant explosives."
Ihor Klymenko, Head of the National Police of Ukraine
This incident underscores the severe threats facing Ukraine amid Russia's ongoing aggression. The use of Ukrainian citizens to carry out terrorist acts reveals new tactics employed by Russian intelligence to sow instability. Such operations can have profound consequences not only for security but also for social cohesion, as they exploit societal vulnerabilities and highlight the dangers of recruitment by a hostile power.