Court sentences 18-year-old man from Bukovyna to 15 years in prison for attempted railway sabotage
An 18-year-old man in Ukraine's Bukovyna region has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempting to carry out sabotage against facilities operated by Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia).
According to Ukrinform, the information was released by the Chernivtsi Regional Prosecutor's Office.
After the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, the young man moved to Chernivtsi. Prosecutors say that in late November of last year, he received an offer through Telegram from a representative of Russian intelligence services to set fire to a railway relay cabinet.
The suspect first conducted reconnaissance of the target, located a relay cabinet near a railway crossing, and submitted its location to his handler for approval.
He was reportedly promised $500 for setting fire to an open relay cabinet and $200–300 for a closed one.
"Ultimately, the parties agreed on a payment of $250. To prepare for the arson, the organizer even transferred nearly $7 to the perpetrator for the purchase of gasoline," law enforcement officials stated.
After receiving detailed instructions, the young man bought fuel, traveled to the site, poured gasoline on the relay cabinet, and set it on fire.
However, the sabotage attempt was not completed successfully. Prosecutors noted that the fire was spotted by the railway crossing attendant, who quickly extinguished it.
The court found the defendant guilty of attempted sabotage under martial law and sentenced him to 15 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property.
As Ukrinform previously reported, another Russian agent who planned acts of sabotage against critical technological facilities of Ukrainian Railways in the Cherkasy region was sentenced to 12 years and 1 month in prison.