Ukraine arrests Frenchman plotting attacks during Euro 2016

The Euro football championship kicks off on June 10 in France.

In this image, provided by the Ukrainian Intelligence Agency, SBU agents detain a suspect at the Yahodyn border crossing on the Ukrainian-Polish border, Ukraine.

Kiev: The Security Service of Ukraine, SBU, on Monday said it had arrested a Frenchman on the border with Poland late in May, as he was planning to launch attacks during the Euro football championship that kicks off on June 10 in France.

The man had grenade launchers, 125 kilograms of explosives and five Kalashnikovs in his car, reports Efe.

At a press conference, SBU chief Vasili Grischak said the man planned to launch 15 attacks during the football event and his targets included a mosque, a synagogue, an institution of tax collection, control facilities on motorways and many other places.

The alleged terrorist came to Ukraine in search of a huge quantity of arms.

The Ukrainian counterintelligence services launched the operation, which ended on May 21, with the arrest of the suspect after they were informed that a man of French nationality was interested in buying weapons.

Grischak regretted that there has been no reaction so far from the French authorities, who were aware of the operation.