Security forces reported preventing a terrorist attack in Pyatigorsk.

A German citizen, whom security forces believe was involved in the preparation of a terrorist attack in Pyatigorsk, has been taken into custody. A person from Central Asia has also been arrested in connection with the same case.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on March 28, the FSB announced that an attack on a security officer in Stavropol had been thwarted. According to the security services, the suspect died in an explosion during his arrest.

A terrorist attack planned at a security agency facility involving a German citizen, born in 1969, has been thwarted in Pyatigorsk, the FSB announced today on its website.

"Thanks to the effective operation of special electronic warfare equipment, an explosive device found in the woman's backpack was detected and blocked near one of the security agency facilities in Pyatigorsk," the publication stated.

After the woman's arrest, bomb disposal experts determined that the improvised explosive device was made from an explosive with a capacity of 1.5 kg of TNT equivalent.

"At the same time, a citizen of one of the Central Asian republics, born in 1997, a supporter of "[The sentence is likely related to] a radical ideology, which was intended to detonate the IED remotely, and the woman would die on the spot," the agency stated.

According to the publication, the detainees "confessed and explained that the weapons were seized from caches set up by Ukrainian special services."

The investigation is being conducted under the article on preparation for a terrorist attack by a group of persons by prior conspiracy or by an organized group, the statement noted. The corresponding article of the Russian Criminal Code carries a prison sentence of 12 to 20 years.

A court in Stavropol Krai remanded both the detained German citizen and the citizen of "one of the Central Asian republics" in custody, Interfax reports, citing a source in law enforcement.

As a reminder, on February 20, the FSB also reported on the prevention of a terrorist attack at the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation building in Stavropol. A man preparing an explosion on orders from Ukrainian special services was killed in a shootout, the department announced. According to the "Caucasian Knot," this shootout involving security forces was the second in the region since the beginning of 2026.

In 2025, security forces regularly reported foiled terrorist attacks in Stavropol. For example, in December 2025, security forces detained an 18-year-old resident of Kuban in Stavropol. According to investigators, she arrived to blow up the car of a serviceman. Security officials believe the man killed on February 20, 2026, hid an explosive device in a secret location, which a woman used to attempt to bomb a car near a military base.

On October 29, 2025, the FSB reported the arrest of a Georgievsk resident, born in 1980, suspected of plotting an explosion at a transport infrastructure facility.

Analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" previously disputed the FSB's regular reports on thwarted terrorist attacks. The reports are due to the activity of terrorist supporters and preventive measures by security forces, stated journalist Vasily Balditsyn and scientist Alexey Gunya. Interior Ministry Colonel Amir Kolov countered that security services in the North Caucasus are also persecuting activists and critics of security forces.

Materials with monthly, quarterly, and annual casualty counts of the armed conflict in the North Caucasus regions are published in the section "North Caucasus – Casualty Statistics." Annual statistics are also presented as infographics.