SBU charges Russian intelligence officer with recruiting Ukrainian children for sabotage in Odesa
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has documented the crimes of Russian military intelligence officer Artem Shmul, a Russian citizen who recruited Ukrainian children to carry out acts of sabotage and terrorist attacks in Odesa.
SBU officers exposed four of his agents in May 2024 while they were attempting to set fire to two military vehicles in Odesa, Ukrinform reports, citing the SBU.
The investigation established that the orders of the Russian intelligence officer were carried out by a group of teenagers aged 13 to 18 whom he had recruited. Shmul came into contact with them while they were searching Telegram channels for easy money. In exchange for promises of quick earnings, the children agreed to set fire to Ukrainian forces' vehicles and Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways) facilities in Odesa.
It was established that acting on instructions from Russia's GRU military intelligence service, the teenagers destroyed a National Guard truck and a relay cabinet on a railway line.
They also recorded the fires on their phone cameras to report back to Shmul, with whom they communicated via messaging apps.
Before assigning these tasks, the Russian intelligence officer gave the agents test assignments. In particular, he instructed them to distribute provocative leaflets on the streets of Odesa.
During searches of the detainees, officers seized anti-Ukrainian materials and smartphones containing evidence of their work for the GRU.
SBU investigators classified their crimes under several articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, including Part 2 of Article 28, Part 2 of Article 15, Part 2 of Article 113 (sabotage committed by a group of persons acting in prior conspiracy under martial law), as well as Part 2 of Article 15 and Part 2 of Article 258 (attempted terrorist attack).
The SBU has notified Shmul in absentia that he is suspected of committing criminal offenses. His actions have been classified under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:
Part 2 of Article 258-5 (financing terrorism);
Part 3 of Article 27, Part 2 of Article 258 (organizing a terrorist attack committed by a group of persons acting in prior conspiracy).
Comprehensive measures are underway to locate him and bring him to justice.