Woman mailed poisoned capsules to Ukrainian soldiers for FSB

Ukrainian police have detained a young woman who, on the instructions of a handler from Russia’s FSB, mailed methadone capsules to Ukrainian soldiers. Two soldiers in the Zhytomyr region died of poisoning, and four more killings were prevented.

According to investigators, on her Russian handler’s orders the woman packed narcotic substances and sent them by post, giving false sender details. As Ukrainska Pravda reports, she was promised at least 5,000 hryvnias (about 2,400 crowns) for it.

“The capsules she sent contained a lethal dose of methadone,” Ukrainian police said. While investigating the two deaths, they identified other recipients of the parcels. This made it possible to prevent four more killings – in the Kirovohrad, Zaporizhzhia, Chernivtsi and Ivano-Frankivsk regions.

The woman has been served with a notice of suspicion of complicity in the murder of two people and of distributing narcotic and psychotropic substances. She faces up to 15 years in prison. Her possible involvement in other crimes is also being checked.

Law enforcement officers clarified that the two victims had left their units without permission, while the soldiers who were saved continued to serve. “For the FSB this makes no difference. A person becomes a target precisely because he serves in the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” police stressed.

The FSB approached soldiers via Telegram and offered them free drugs. Police warned service members to be careful with new acquaintances: “Do not accept dietary supplements, food or drinks of dubious origin from people you do not know well.”

Read next
Ukraine Detains Teen Over Suspected FSB Methadone Plot That Killed Two Soldiers
What We Know About the Deadly Strike on a Ukrainian Aid Center
Hackers Send False Nuclear Alerts Through Ukrainian and Russian Emergency Apps

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz