FSB arrests four in St. Petersburg on terrorism charges, says they planned to poison Russian soldiers at the front

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has arrested four individuals in St. Petersburg on terrorism charges, the Russian state news agency Interfax reported, citing the FSB’s Public Relations Center. The FSB asserted that all four were members of the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC), an armed formation whose members say they are Russians fighting on the side of Ukraine.

According to the FSB, the individuals planned to “poison food products” intended as humanitarian aid for Russian soldiers in Ukraine and residents of Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories with a “highly toxic chemical.” The FSB added that the suspects had also “conducted reconnaissance” of infrastructure in the St. Petersburg region for “the subsequent preparation of terrorist acts.”

The FSB has opened a criminal case against the individuals under an article on participating in the activities of a terrorist organization. If convicted, they could face between 10 to 20 years in prison.