March 2, 2026

FSB Reports Detention of Over 200 Suspected of Cooperating with Ukrainian Call Centers

In 43 regions, security forces detained over 200 Russian and foreign citizens on suspicion of distributing Russian subscriber numbers, the Public Relations Center of the FSB reported. The detainees are suspected of organizing the illegal operation of SIM boxes (equipment for using a large number of SIM cards), topping up the balances of SIM cards used in them, and providing account registration services. During searches, 220 SIM boxes, over 54,000 SIM cards, and SIM chips were seized, the FSB claims. 'The detainees carried out illegal actions for monetary reward received from foreign curators, which is confirmed by correspondence stored on the seized communication devices,' the message states. The Telegram channel 'Podem' writes that the detainees were identified during the investigation of a case involving an explosion near the police department for the Orekhovo-Borisovo Yuzhnoye district in December 2025, which resulted in the deaths of two traffic police officers. Criminal cases have been initiated under articles concerning illegal use of a subscriber terminal for traffic bypass or a virtual telephone exchange (Art. 274.3 of the Criminal Code), organization of activities for the transfer of subscriber numbers in violation of legislative requirements (Art. 274.4 of the Criminal Code), organization of activities for the transfer of information necessary for the registration and/or authorization of an Internet user to access the functionality of an information resource (Art. 274.5 of the Criminal Code), as well as fraud (Art. 159 of the Criminal Code).