By Sanjeev Sharma

New Delhi, Mar 6 (IANS): The Kremlin "plotted" to set up more "people's republics" in Ukraine's territory - this time, in western Ukraine, to "undermine national unity and hinder arms supplies to the front lines".

This was reported by the SBU, Security Service of Ukraine, Ukrinform reports.

The "Federal Republic of Ukraine" was to include Ivano-Frankivsk, Zakarpattia, Lviv, Ternopil, and Chernivtsi regions.

The logic behind trying to create the pseudo-formation was to destabilize the rear of the Ukrainian Army - the areas that cannot be seized by Russia's regular troops, according to the statement, issued by the SBU unit in Ivano-Frankivsk region.

According to the Russian idea, the newly-emerged sham "republic" would deprive the Armed Forces of Ukraine of support and maintenance from the rear.

The SBU has nabbed the organiser and key figures of the Russian-led network in the region. According to the security agency, the group intended to recruit more than 500 traitors as part of the plan, the report said.

Separatists planned to discredit local security officials and inspire public distrust, as well as physically eliminate local government officials and top security figures in the region.

After that, the plan was to seize administrative buildings and proclaim "people's republics" along with the lines of the infamous "DPR/LPR" in eastern Ukraine before allowing them to accede to a new state that would be controlled by Russia.

The SBU seized "manifestos" to the army, security operatives, and civilians with calls to join the group of turncoats. A draft appeal to foreign governments to recognize a new exclave was also discovered during one of the raids, the report added.