KYIV, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Ukraine has accused Russian spies of orchestrating multiple bomb attacks on its conscription offices, following a recent explosion on Wednesday that resulted in one fatality and the injury of four others at a conscription center in the western part of the country.
The blast in the Khmelnytskyi region is the most recent in a series of attacks targeting conscription facilities and personnel. A conscription officer was fatally shot at a gas station just last week.
Police chief Ivan Vyhivskyi stated, "We believe this is a deliberate attack by Russian special services aimed at misleading society, destabilizing the situation, and fostering negative sentiments towards security and defense forces."
While Vyhivskyi did not present direct evidence of Russian involvement, such information is typically withheld for security reasons.
In the latest incident, a man approached a checkpoint at a conscription office in the Khmelnytskyi region with a bag, requesting to deliver a package. An explosion ensued, resulting in the death of the man and injuries to four others, according to Vyhivskyi.
Vyhivskyi mentioned that Russia has orchestrated nine attacks this year, including three targeting police officers. He did not delve into specifics of the individual cases.
He further disclosed that Russian intelligence officers are enticing young men or individuals deemed to have "low social responsibility" to carry out attacks in exchange for money.
Vyhivskyi stated, "In most cases, the Russians do not pay these individuals. Furthermore, in the last two instances, including today's, they have eliminated the individuals they recruited."
No immediate response has been received from Russia concerning the Ukrainian accusations.
A similar incident occurred last Saturday when a young man detonated an explosive device he had brought into a conscription office in the northwestern city of Rivne, as per Ukraine's SBU domestic security agency.
The SBU revealed that the man had been recruited by Russian spies, who remotely detonated the device after he entered the conscription office. Eight Ukrainian servicemen were wounded in the explosion.
These series of events prompted Ukraine's army chief to publicly denounce the acts and call for the prosecution of those responsible.
The incidents have added pressure to Ukraine's ongoing national campaign to enlist civilians into the armed forces.
Enthusiasm among potential military recruits has significantly waned since the early stages of the conflict. Military leaders openly acknowledge manpower shortages at the frontline, where Russian forces are pushing ahead.
Ukrainian officials are continuing to uncover operations by the Russian security service and its operatives, accusing them of various nefarious activities, including espionage, providing military target coordinates, torching military vehicles, and other hostile acts.