Russian security personnel reportedly listed confiscated "Sims" video games that they called SIM cards while supposedly unveiling a Ukrainian "assassination attempt" against a TV host.
According to the Moscow Times, Russia's Federal Security Bureau said Monday that it had foiled a plot ordered by Ukrainian Security for "neo-Nazis" to kill popular broadcaster Vladimir Solovyov.
"The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation detained a group of members of the neo-Nazi terrorist organization "National Socialism / White Power" banned in Russia — Russian citizens who planned, on the instructions of the Security Service of Ukraine, the murder of a public figure, a well-known journalist Vladimir Solovyov," the agency said in a statement Monday.
The agency said it recovered "an improvised explosive device, eight improvised incendiary devices of the 'Molotov cocktail' type, six PM pistols, a hunting rifle clip, an RGD-5 grenade, more than a thousand cartridges of various calibers, narcotic drugs, fake Ukrainian passports with photos of group members, nationalist literature, and attributes" at the addresses of the six detained group members.
Images of the recovered items included three "Sims 3" video games that were identified as SIM cards by the agency.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the arrests during a meeting at Russia's Prosecutor General's Office, TASS News reported.
"This morning, the FSB thwarted the activities of a terrorist group that planned the attack and murder of one of the most famous Russian journalists," Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
The report is questioned by Russian media observers as a possible "false flag" being created by the FSB to bolster support for the Ukraine war.
"Who knew they were so into 'The Sims 3,'" British journalist Francis Scarr, who works with the BBC monitoring Russian state media, posted on Twitter after the report.
Solovyov said in an interview Monday that he believes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is "directly related" to the plot because of his stance on Ukraine.
"I think that this is directly related to Zelenskyy, because Zelenskyy directly threatened, that is, he repeatedly mentioned my name," Solovyov said speaking to the RIA Novosti news outlet.
He said he did not notice any surveillance by the FSB while they investigated "the threat," but thanked them for preventing the plan from being carried out.
"I think I do it every day, on every broadcast. Yes, of course, I am ready to thank you publicly and meet with the operatives who carried out this operation," he said. "They are undeniably highly professional people. Thank you very much. At least, grief did not come to my house today, for which they are very grateful."
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