MOSCOW, August 20 (RAPSI) – The Federal Security Service of Russia has suppressed an illegal action of Ukrainian intelligence bodies to kidnap and forcedly transfer of a Russian citizen, who is one of the leaders of the Donbass people’s volunteer army, to Ukraine, the FSB press service reports.

Several Russians were arrested during the kidnapping attempt. Alleged organizers of the action were two Ukrainian nationals, Igor Mishchenko and Andrey Baidala known as a part-time employee of the Ukrainian Security Service and the country’s Defense Ministry intelligence directorate, the statement reads. According to the FSB, Baidala and Mishchenko acted ordered by the head of the Ukrainian Security Service’s counterintelligence division Alexander Poklad. They allegedly recruited members of a Russian criminal structure to kidnap the victim for an award in the amount of $200,000.

A criminal case is opened over attempted kidnapping committed by an organized group.