Five arsonists working for Russians detained in Cherkasy region
Officers from the Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police detained five agents of Russian special services who were responsible for arson attacks in the Cherkasy region.
According to Ukrinform, citing the SSU, the enemy’s mission was carried out by residents aged 18 to 21.
They were recruited by Russian intelligence through dating channels on Telegram.
“There, the enemy used fake female accounts to engage in prolonged communication with them and propose a meeting. Then, on the day of the ‘date,’ the young men received calls from Russian agents posing as Ukrainian law enforcement officers, who informed them that the suspects' 'online girlfriends' were allegedly working for enemy intelligence services,” the statement reads.
After that, the young men were blackmailed and persuaded to take part in a “special operation” supposedly aimed at exposing other Russian agents. To do this, the suspects were to set fire at night to several bank branches and civilian cars in which the alleged traitors were supposedly located.
According to the case file, the detainees attempted to burn a civilian car and four bank branches in Cherkasy.
During searches, smartphones containing evidence of their work for the enemy were seized. It was established that they acted independently of one another but had a single handler from Russia.
Three suspects have been charged under Part 2 of Article 194 of the Criminal Code (Intentional destruction or damage to property committed by arson). Authorities are considering charging two additional detainees and potentially reclassifying their crimes.
As reported by Ukrinform, law enforcement officials exposed a man who was looking for people to set fire to military cars in Kyiv.
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