Ukrainian officials have accused Russian intelligence services of being behind the attack with improvised explosive devices at a shopping mall in Lviv on February 22. The explosions killed one person and injured at least 25 people, News.bg reports.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the operation was organized by Russia, with the perpetrators recruited through the Telegram app. The National Police in the Lviv region reported that a woman from the Rivne region was hired by Russian special services to make and place the explosive devices at predetermined locations.
The first explosion occurred shortly after law enforcement agencies arrived at the site in response to a report of a break-in. A second device detonated after additional forces arrived. One police officer was killed and at least six law enforcement officers were seriously injured. It is not yet clear how many of the 25 victims were members of the security forces.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said that Russia is likely stepping up its sabotage campaign to undermine the sense of security among Ukrainians and destabilize society.
Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovsky said that Moscow deliberately chose the city because of the presence of many tourists and military personnel at the time of the attack, in order to provoke a greater public response.
Ukrainian and Moldovan authorities recently foiled a plot to assassinate high-ranking political and military figures. Ukraine's security service warned that such actions were aimed at spreading panic and socio-political instability.
President Zelensky said after the attack in Lviv that intelligence indicated the likelihood of new such attacks. Analysts say Moscow could use both real attacks and reports of foiled plots to stoke distrust and tension in Ukrainian society.
In parallel, Russia is reportedly supplying portable anti-aircraft missile systems to Iran, likely in an attempt to strengthen its position among its allies.
On the front line, Russian forces have advanced in the Slavyansk region. On the night of February 22, the Kremlin launched a large-scale combined attack, with reports indicating a shift in targeting from primarily energy infrastructure to water and railway facilities.