Russia thwarts assassination plot against defense executive

MOSCOW, March. 3 (Xinhua) -- Russia said Tuesday it had thwarted a planned attack on a senior executive at a defense-industrial enterprise in the western city of Yekaterinburg

The suspect was killed when a remotely controlled improvised explosive device detonated during an attempted arrest, according to the Federal Security Service.

In a statement, the Federal Security Service said the plot had been orchestrated by Ukrainian special services and was intended to be carried out by a Russian citizen born in 1985.

According to the agency, as officers moved in to detain him, the suspect's handler in Ukraine remotely activated the device, killing the suspect. No officers or civilians were hurt, the agency said.

Investigators said the handler had supplied the suspect with a forged Russian passport, the intended target's home address and two improvised explosive devices. Using the false documents, the suspect rented an apartment while preparing the attack. Enditem