A group of military intelligence of the Russian Federation was exposed in Odesa: they were preparing a violent seizure of power

The law enforcement officers detained the operative combat group of the military intelligence of the Russian Federation in Odesa. The leader of the group and his «right-hand man» were detained.

According to the Security Service of Ukraine, more than 70 firearms with optical sights, ammunition, as well as body armor, helmets, ballistic glasses and other tactical equipment were seized from the suspects.

It is noted that the members of the group were preparing to seize state institutions in Odesa under the instructions of the Russian special service even at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. In addition to storming administrative buildings, they were to attack the Defense Forces from the rear if the invaders approached the port city. However, after the failures of the Russians at the front, the group was put on standby and activated only in the summer of 2024, when it received secret tasks.

According to law enforcement officers, the leader of the group was a 49-year-old resident of the temporarily occupied Crimea. After the capture of the peninsula, he moved to Odessa, where at the beginning of the full-scale war, he began to form operational combat units under the guise of several public organizations.

In general, the public organization dealt with issues of military history, ecology and jurisprudence, and in fact they created underground groups: snipers, intelligence, communications, operative support and one of the main ones — an assault group.

In total, the suspects recruited into the group more than two dozen people who were subordinate to their leader according to the principles of military hierarchy. All of them are currently under investigation.

In case of capture of Odesa, group members were promised «positions» in the local occupation administration of the Russian Federation.

During the searches, in addition to weapons and tactical equipment, instructions for subversive activities, cold weapons, in particular with the logo of the Russian special services, and computer equipment with evidence of crimes were seized from the members of the group.

The police informed the detainees about the suspicion:

• according to Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 1 of Article 109 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine «Actions aimed at the violent change or overthrow of the constitutional order or at the seizure of state power, committed by a group of persons based on a prior conspiracy";
• according to parts 1, 3 of article 260 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine «Creation of paramilitary or armed formations not provided for by law».

The detainees are in custody, they face up to 10 years in prison with confiscation of property.

We will remind you that in Odesa, law enforcement officers detained four people who are suspected of setting fire to minibuses and SUVs of Ukrainian defenders.