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Russian Soldier Sentenced to 15 Years for Arson of Military Equipment After Being Tricked by Fraudsters
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A military court in Russia's Northern Fleet has sentenced a 20-year-old contract soldier to 15 years in prison for arson of military equipment, following instructions from fraudsters, as reported by The Moscow Times on April 2.
The conscript was found guilty of committing two acts of terrorism. He will serve the first four years of his sentence in prison and the remainder in a high-security penal colony.
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According to the investigation, in May 2025, the young soldier was contacted by fraudsters posing as bank, FSB, and Ministry of Defense officials. They tricked him into transferring 350,000 rubles to an account they provided. Afterward, the fraudsters claimed he had funded Ukrainian forces and pressured him to set fire to military vehicles “to prevent negative consequences.”
On May 14, the soldier went to a vehicle depot at a military base in the Murmansk region, poured flammable liquid into the hatches of three light armored vehicles, and set one of them ablaze. The following day, he went to a military airfield and set fire to the landing gear of an aircraft. The Ministry of Defense estimated the total damage at approximately $25,750.
The conscript expressed remorse for his actions and cooperated with the investigation. Despite his young age and positive character references, the court sentenced him to 15 years in prison, considering the severity of the crimes and the fact that they were committed during a period of mobilization.
Previously, former Russian soldier who served in Ukraine has been sentenced to 12 years in a high-security prison for the prolonged torture and unlawful detention of a woman in Tuva. This was reported by Sibir.Realii, referencing court documents released on December 25, 2025.
In September 2025, the Abakan Garrison Military Court convicted 53-year-old Mikhail Kazantsev on multiple charges, including unlawful imprisonment, grievous bodily harm, and torture. These crimes took place in November 2024, shortly after Kazantsev returned from his deployment in Russia's war against Ukraine.
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