A criminal group was exposed in the front-line zone of Donetsk region, which for a long time terrorized local residents and tried to kidnap a businessman for ransom. Information about the operation of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) was made public by the agency's press service.
SBU operatives discovered that members of a criminal group organized robbery attacks and imposed "tribute" on local businessmen. Their actions contributed to further destabilization of the situation in the region, which is already in a tense situation due to military operations.
The criminals did not stop there. Their plan included kidnapping the owner of a private medical facility. The goal was quite specific – to get a $500,000 ransom. According to preliminary data, the members of the group had already prepared a "grave" outside the city, where they planned to take the victim.
The members of the gang made elaborate preparations for the abduction. They followed the victim for a long time and carefully, studied his daily routine, movement routes and circle of close people. This allowed them to prepare as much as possible for a criminal attack and ensure a high probability of success.
The perpetrators were detained during an attempt to abduct the victim near his residence. As part of the search, a significant number of dangerous items were seized from them, including grenades, weapons, as well as tools that could have been used during the crime, such as shovels, duct tape and gloves. Evidence of criminal acts was found in the mobile phones of the detainees.
Now the arrested members of the group are in custody. They face up to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property. Justice will be restored, and the actions of criminals will receive a proper legal assessment.
