Russia Thwarts Ukrainian Plot to Bomb Drone Operators

The Federal Security Service of Russia announced Monday that it thwarted a plot by Ukrainian intelligence to target military drone operators using boobytrapped first-person view (FPV) goggles. The security service reported that improvised explosive devices were embedded in the goggles, specifically where cooling fans are typically located, and were designed to detonate the moment the devices were powered on.

Authorities first discovered the rigged equipment in the Volgograd region, where the items had been presented as part of volunteer donations. Following this discovery, the FSB intercepted subsequent shipments of the explosive devices in other locations across Russia.

Russian officials stated this operation follows a pattern of alleged Ukrainian attempts to plant bombs in electronic items, including laptops and power banks. The FSB compared the tactic to the September 2024 Israeli operation that detonated pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah.