A student arrested in Kyiv after setting fire to the military car

Source: National Police of Ukraine

Ukraine’s police and Security Service said they have arrested a 16-year-old student in Kyiv for arson, targeting a car purchased by journalists for the military. The teen reportedly acted under orders from Russian intelligence, who dangled the promise of $1,000 as payment for the crime. Instead, the student now faces up to eight years in prison.

Instructed by his Russian handlers to torch a car in Kyiv, the young arsonist traveled from the Cherkasy region to Ukraine’s capital.  The saboteur reportedly doused the vehicle in a flammable liquid, set it ablaze, and later filmed the sabotage act as proof of a job well done.

Coordinated efforts between local police and the SBU led to the student’s swift capture. Authorities found the Russian contacts of the suspect never delivered the promised payout.  He now faces sabotage charges under Art. 114-1 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code.  If convicted, the arsonist could spend the next eight years behind bars.

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.