Teenager arrested in Vinnytsia over arson attack ordered by Russia’s intelligence

Source: Ukraine’s Security Service

Ukrainian authorities have detained a 17-year-old who allegedly received orders from the Russian FSB to set fire to a military recruitment office in Vinnytsya.

The young suspect, identified as an Odesa resident, reportedly hurled a Molotov cocktail at the recruitment office and filmed the blaze with his phone.

According to the investigation, the teen had posted his resume on a quick-earnings website earlier this spring and soon was contacted by a Russian intelligence operative who recruited him for a series of arson plot targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure and vehicles.

His first task involved scouting and photographing defense sites in Odesa.  Later, he was “deployed” to Vinnytsia with orders to torch the recruitment office. Plans for further arson attacks in Zhytomyr were cut short when he was arrested by law enforcement.

Charged with sabotage under martial law (Article 113, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), the teenager is now in custody and faces life imprisonment.