The Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia announced today that it had prevented an assassination attempt against Metropolitan Tikhon of Simferopol and Crimea, reported Agence France-Presse, quoted by BTA.
According to a statement from the Russian service, the assassination attempt was planned by Ukrainian special services.
„The FSB foiled an assassination attempt organized by Ukrainian intelligence services against Metropolitan Tikhon of Simferopol and Crimea“, the Russian security agency reported.
Sixty-six-year-old Tikhon is the editor-in-chief of the Orthodox website pravoslavie.ru, holds a doctorate in history and is a member of the Russian president's advisory council on culture and arts. Last year, he was awarded a state order by Vladimir Putin for his participation in the restoration of a museum complex in Crimea.
Metropolitan Tikhon was appointed spiritual leader of Simferopol and Crimea in 2023.
According to the FSB, two men - a Russian and a Ukrainian citizen - who were recruited by Ukrainian intelligence through the communication application "Telegram", were arrested in Moscow.
They were tasked with carrying out an attack on Metropolitan Tikhon during his trip to Moscow. The suspects "confessed" in which they said that in 2024 they were given a homemade explosive device with which to kill the metropolitan, after which they planned to leave Russia with false passports.