A 16-year-old boy was detained in Kyiv, who is suspected of setting fire to a military vehicle.
This was reported by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
According to the investigation, Russian special services recruited the teenager when he was looking for "easy money" in Telegram channels. At first, he was offered to post anti-Ukrainian leaflets around Kyiv.
After that, the Russian curator promised the suspect "big money" in exchange for setting fire to military vehicles. It had to be filmed. They wanted to use the footage for a special information operation — as if there is a pro-Russian "underground" in Ukraine, which in this way is trying to disrupt the mobilization and help the Russian Federation.
SBU claims that at first the young man was told that it is not necessary to set fire to a military car, but any car that looks like a military car can be set on fire. The suspect first took pictures of the two cars to "match" the Russian FSB, and then set them on fire.
This is how the Russian special service checked his readiness for regular arson in Kyiv. The law enforcement officers arrested him in hot pursuit.
The investigation established that FSB promised to transfer money to the young manʼs crypto wallet for the performance of "test" tasks, but did not do so. The teenager was informed of suspicions of obstructing the activities of the Armed Forces and a terrorist act based on a previous conspiracy. Despite his age, he faces up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.
According to the same articles, the actions of the Russian curator were qualified, his identity has already been established. In addition, he was informed in absentia about the suspicion of involving a minor in a crime. Since he is in Russia, complex measures are underway to find and punish him.
- Recently, law enforcement officers have been regularly reporting on the burning of military vehicles. This is usually done by Ukrainians at the behest of Russians, who offer to set fire to cars for money and record it on camera. Russian media spread such videos and photos, saying that supposedly disgruntled Ukrainians are setting fire to the cars of military commissariat workers, thus opposing the mobilization.