MOSCOW. April 16 (Interfax) - A Russian citizen has been detained on suspicion of blowing up the car of former Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) officer Vasily Prozorov in Moscow, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said.
"The Russian Federal Security Service detained a Russian citizen, born in 1983, who, acting on orders from Ukrainian security services, blew up the car of a Russian citizen and former Ukrainian Security Service officer in Moscow with the use of an explosive device," the FSB's press center said.
The FSB report does not name the former SBU officer, but it was reported on April 12 that the Russian Investigative Committee was probing the bombing of a car in northern Moscow that belonged to Prozorov.
After the start of the special military operation, the suspect went to Ukraine, "where he was recruited by SBU officers in October 2023," the FSB said.
"After receiving an assignment from his coordinator, who acted on direct orders from SBU chief Vasily Malyuk, he [the suspect] arrived in Russia in March [of this year], obtained components of a remote-controlled explosive device, assembled the explosive device and planted it under the car after exploring the district where the SBU ex-officer lives," it said.
The Russian Investigative Committee's Moscow branch has opened a criminal case on counts of attempted assassination and the illegal acquisition, transfer, distribution, storage, transportation and possession of explosive substances and explosive devices, the FSB said.
Search and investigative procedures are in progress as part of preparations to bring terrorist act and high treason charges against the suspect, who may face as much as a life sentence if found guilty, the press center said.
According to earlier media reports, a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado owned by Vasily Prozorov, a former SBU officer who moved to Russia before the start of the special military operation, was blown up on Korovinskoye Highway in Moscow. Prozorov was injured in the incident. Cars parked nearby were also damaged.
Several expert evaluations, including medical and explosives, will be ordered in the near future, the Investigative Committee said.
Prozorov worked for the Security Service of Ukraine from 1999 to 2018. He told a press conference in Moscow in 2019 that Ukraine was responsible for the MH17 Malaysian Boeing crash and was involved in the killings of Donetsk People's Republic commanders. He also said foreign security services coordinated the work of the SBU.
The SBU admitted at the time that Prozorov had indeed worked for the service, but had been fired after being found unsuitable for his job.