A Ukrainian female powerlifting champion is currently in police custody in Russia after she was found to be involved in a ploy to take down one of Putin’s top military officials.
According to Russian media, Lemeshchenko was one of four women detained by the FSB, Russia’s security service.
They assert that she was intercepted as part of their operations.
The FSB claims that Lemeshchenko had a Russian passport, which Ukraine allegedly used to send her behind enemy lines to target a prominent military figure.
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In a video released by the FSB, Lemeshchenko appears to give testimony.
However, there is no indication of whether she was forced to confess to being recruited during the ongoing conflict.
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Her arrest took place at her apartment in Voronezh in mid-January, but the Russians have not explained why they delayed announcing her detention.
In 2021, Lemeshchenko achieved significant success by winning three gold medals at the Ukrainian Classic Powerlifting Championship.
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‘In 2023, I was recruited by the Ukrainian security services,’ she said in a video shared online.
‘I was trained in Kyiv and acquired skills in handling small arms, operating drones, evading surveillance, and making explosive devices,’ she said, adding that her handler gave her the alias ‘Luffy’.
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‘In 2024, I arrived in Russia and, on the instructions of Ukrainian special services, was [ordered] to commit a terrorist act against a high-ranking serviceman from the Russian Defence Ministry.’
