Police detain man suspected of involvement in arson of eight military vehicles in Zaporizhzhia
According to Ukrinform, the Zaporizhzhia Regional Prosecutor's Office stated this on its website.
The investigation found that in November 2025 the man established contact via a messaging app with an individual who, according to one version of the investigation, may be linked to Russian intelligence services. The person offered him "easy money" in exchange for locating vehicles used by Ukrainian military personnel, SUVs with camouflage paint, and setting them on fire. A mandatory condition was to report back on his actions.
The suspect agreed to the proposal, found a suitable vehicle in one of the city's industrial districts, coordinated the target with his "handler," and set the vehicle on fire after dousing it with a homemade incendiary mixture. He recorded all his actions on his mobile phone and sent the video to the handler.
Law enforcement officers detained the man the same day and charged him with obstructing the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations, committed by a group of persons in prior conspiracy (Part 2, Article 28 and Part 1, Article 114-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
Searches uncovered evidence of illegal activity that may indicate the suspect's involvement in the arson of seven additional vehicles belonging to Ukrainian service members between November 2025 and January 2026, the prosecutor's office said.
The suspect is currently being held in custody by court order.
As previously reported, in the Chernivtsi region, three young men aged 18 to 21 who set fire to railway relay cabinets on orders from Russia were each sentenced to 15 years in prison.
