2 arsonists recruited by Russian intelligence exposed in Kyiv
Source: National Police of Ukraine
The Ukrainian police said on Monday they have nabbed a 41-year-old auto mechanic and a 15-year-old teenager who allegedly carried out arson attacks in Kyiv. Offered easy money by Russian intelligence officers, the two suspect acted independently getting instructions via Telegram.
In December 2024, a 41-year-old Kyiv resident was promised $10,000 to set fire to the car of a serviceman from the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) or another security agency.
The man located a Jeep Cherokee bearing Ukrainian army insignia on Demiivska Street in Ukraine’s capital. He photographed the vehicle and sent the images to his contact. Once he received approval, he doused the car in gasoline and set it ablaze.
Meanwhile, the 15-year-old teenager was tasked with setting fire to a branch of “Ukrposhta” post office in Kyiv’s Sviatoshynskyi district. He used flammable liquid to burn the door and the doormat at the branch’s entrance.
Both suspects have been detained and formally charged. A court has ruled to hold them in custody while the investigation continues.
Amendments to Ukraine’s enforcement proceedings legislation, initiated by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, have entered into force. Among other measures, the reform provides for the automated lifting of attachments on bank accounts immediately after debts in enforcement proceedings have been fully settled. The main practical benefit for citizens is the complete elimination of the need to contact an enforcement officer in person and wait for paper decisions once the debt has been paid.
The 157th Separate Mechanized Brigade has received another batch of supplies as part of Rinat Akhmetov’s Steel Front military initiative. This time, the military received seven quad bikes and four mobile shower and bath units.
In my previous column, I wrote about social innovations in Ukraine. Those innovations are part of civic resilience and the democratization of security, which Europe is paying close attention to right now. The EU is trying to work out how to spread responsibility for its own security across society as a whole, rather than leaving it to institutions alone. It is looking for concrete ways to bring ordinary people into the work of defense and resistance.
Petro Poroshenko’s lawyers have appealed to the High Anti-Corruption Court demanding that NABU be obligated to register proceedings regarding the fact of exerting influence on the court and to recognize Petro Poroshenko as a victim in the case of the Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Iryna Mudra, due to her pressure on Supreme Court judges who were considering a lawsuit to overturn sanctions.
Internationally recognized brands and financial institutions should direct capital to Ukraine now, not waiting for the hostilities to end. This was emphasized by Rinat Akhmetov, president of FC Shakhtar, during a working visit to UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, where he met with UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.