The Southern District Military Court in Russia has convicted eight participants in a network that Russian authorities have linked to Ukraine's military intelligence. The sentences range from five years suspended to 27 years in prison, TASS reported.
The case concerns the preparation of a series of terrorist acts and assassinations against senior officials in Crimea. The information provided does not mention the names of the convicted, with the exception of Ukrainian citizen Marina Matuschak, whom the Russian Federal Security Service claims organized part of the deliveries.
The delivery channel according to the FSB
According to the Russian service, the international channel ran from Bulgaria to Russia via Turkey and Georgia. Matuschak organized the shipment from Bulgaria of electric stoves containing components for explosive devices.
After the shipments arrived in Russia, they were transferred to the places where, according to the indictment, terrorist acts were being prepared. Russian citizens were used for this activity, who, according to the FSB, were unaware of the true purpose of the shipments.
Link to railway sabotage
Russian authorities claim that identical explosive material was used in the sabotage of a railway line in the Bakhchisarai region of Crimea. The material provided does not provide further details about the specific incident, nor does it contain the position of the Ukrainian authorities on the allegations.
Since this is a case presented by Russian institutions and TASS, the allegations about the role of Ukrainian intelligence, the route of the deliveries, and the purpose of the components are presented as the version of the Russian side.
Sources: bta.bg, tass.ru