Ukraine's internal security services have arrested two individuals allegedly working for the Russian intelligence service. This person planned to kill the Ukrainian Defense Minister and the head of the military intelligence service.
Ukrainian security forces thwarted plans by Russia's GRU military intelligence agency to use sabotage groups to carry out three murders, including the murder of a prominent Ukrainian activist. the agency said in a statement on Monday.
Reuters was unable to independently verify this claim.
There was no immediate reaction from Moscow or Russian state media to Ukraine's statement.
One of the suspects is a resident of the eastern Luhansk region who is being held by Russian-backed separatists, and the other is from Ukraine. The capital of Kyiv, up to $150,000 (£124,000) was paid by Russian handlers for the killing of each target, according to the SBU.
A man from the Luhansk region entered Ukraine from Belarus and was detained in the city of Kovel in northwestern Ukraine with a man from Kyiv, the statement said.
