Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has arrested a woman in Crimea on allegations of espionage and planning to poison Russian soldiers, amid escalating tensions with Ukraine.
According to the FSB, the unnamed woman is accused of gathering intelligence on the Russian Black Sea Fleet by photographing military positions and troop movements.
The agency claims she passed the information to Ukrainian forces, which was later used to coordinate missile strikes on Russian military targets in the region.
The FSB further alleged that the woman was plotting to poison Russian service members stationed in Crimea.
It did not provide details on how far the plan had progressed or whether any soldiers had been harmed. She now faces charges of espionage and attempted murder, both carrying a maximum sentence of life imprisonment under Russian law.
The arrest comes as military and political tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to rise.
Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, remains a strategic flashpoint and frequent target of Ukrainian drone and missile strikes.
On the same day, September 28, Russia launched one of its largest aerial attacks on Ukraine in recent months, targeting Kyiv and six other regions overnight with a barrage of drones and cruise missiles.
The assault left multiple civilians dead and widespread destruction in its wake.
Dramatic scenes unfolded across the capital as anti-aircraft fire lit up the sky, forcing residents into shelters. By morning, images showed smoldering buildings and shattered homes.
Among the casualties were a nurse and a patient, killed when a missile hit Kyiv’s Institute of Cardiology. At least 70 people were injured nationwide, officials said.
Ukraine’s air force reported it had intercepted 611 aerial targets, including: 566 drones,35 Kh-101 missiles and 8 Kalibr cruise missiles
Despite the interceptions, falling debris caused significant damage to civilian infrastructure.
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack as “brutal” and described it as a “deliberate campaign of terror against cities.”
In response to the large-scale assault, NATO forces heightened their alert levels. Fighter jets were scrambled from Poland, and airspace restrictions were temporarily enforced over Lublin and Rzeszów, key cities near the Ukrainian border, according to Politico.
F-35 jets patrolled the skies until the situation stabilized. Although there were no violations of Polish airspace, the move reflects NATO’s growing concern over the potential spillover of the conflict.
A report from Newsweek highlighted that several NATO member states, including Estonia, Romania, and Poland, have recently accused Russia of violating their airspace.
Meanwhile, unexplained drone activity has disrupted air traffic in Denmark and Norway over the past week.
The latest developments underscore the widening scope of the war and the increasing risks of escalation beyond Ukraine’s borders.
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