Kyiv, February 15, 2016. Ukraine’s Security Service searched a number of premises in Kyiv and the vicinity today. Four weapon caches were found in Pecherskyi, Kyevo-Sviatoshynskyi and Sviatoshynskyi districts, seizing an anti-tank grenade launcher, 12 Scorpio sub-machineguns, six Kalashnikov assault rifles, 10 under-barrel grenade launchers, four TT guns and four Makarov guns as well as 1000 cartridges. Explosive items and 100 kg of stone looking like amber were found at the same place. The Security Service identified seven members of a group calling themselves members of Crimea volunteer battalion, said Oleksandr Tkachuk, Chief of Staff at the Security Service of Ukraine at a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
He said that during the last week law enforcements seized the total of eight grenade launchers, a machine gun, an assault rifle, a sniping rifle, a Shmel flame gun, 26 anti-tank mines and 18 improvised explosive devices. “All the weapons must remain in places where it will help protect our civilians from the threat posed by the aggressor,” emphasized Tkachuk. He added that the identity of people illegally storing weapons in peaceful towns is not important for the Security Service, as the law should apply to everyone without discrimination.
According to Tkachuk, Security Service officers exposed an agent of Russian Federal Security Service acting on the territory of Ukraine. He appeared to be a Ukrainian citizen detained in Russia for presumable violation of the rules of stay. He was arrested, put to remand prison and recruited by Russian special services. It is known there are five more citizens of Ukraine whom Russian Federal Security Service approached in the same manner.
