The SBU, Ukraine’s security service, has reported that Russian invaders were planning riots in Western Ukraine with possible proclamation of the so-called ‘people’s republics’.

According to the report, Russian special services launched the operation in the summer of 2021, planning to involve about 500 armed people who had to start riots synchronously with Russian full-fledged invasion.

The SBU managed to detain the organizers and key persons in Ivano-Frankivsk and Khmelnytsky regions in the beginning of March.

One of the arrested accomplices admitted his guilt and testified against the organizers who are facing the court trial.