Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said Tuesday it had seized dozens of kilograms of explosives that were sent from Ukraine and concealed in Orthodox Christian religious icons as they were moved through the EU.
The seizure came following a cargo inspection in the northwestern Pskov region along the border with Latvia, the FSB said in a statement.
It added that the cargo shipment was “part of the cross-border traffic of explosives from Ukraine through the European Union,” saying the explosives had passed through Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.
The seized cargo comprised 70 kilograms of explosives devices “hidden in icons and ready for use,” according to the law enforcement agency.
The FSB said one person was arrested, adding that it would seek to track down all those involved, including foreigners, who would then face legal proceedings in Russia.
