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Ukraine Uncovers Seven Teens Recruited by Russia via Telegram to Sabotage Ukrainian Railway
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![Amira_barkhush]( "Amira Barkhush")
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) uncovered seven teen arsonists recruited by Russia to sabotage rail infrastructure in northern and central Ukraine.
This was reported by SBU on April 7.
The youngest of the group is just 12 years old, the oldest—16. All of them are local schoolchildren and students who were lured in by Russian intelligence via Telegram channels while looking for “easy money.”
According to SBU, after recruiting the minors for sabotage, Russian handlers instructed them to target Ukrzaliznytsia’s relay cabinets for destruction.
The teens used flammable liquids to set the equipment on fire and then recorded videos of the burning infrastructure as proof of their actions.
According to case materials, six of the arsonists were uncovered in the Cherkasy region. All of them studied at the same school in the town of Smila, while the seventh suspect was from Chernihiv.
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The investigation revealed that Russian intelligence agents initially tested the teenagers’ willingness to commit acts of sabotage and terrorism. Their first assignment was to spray provocative graffiti on building walls.
After completing the “test” missions, the teens went on to set fire to several railway relay cabinets. They later received new instructions from Russia—to construct an improvised explosive device for a potential terror attack. However, Ukraine’s Security Service foiled the plot before the explosive device could be assembled.
Authorities are now determining how to classify the suspects’ actions and whether they will face criminal charges.
Previously, an SBU spokesperson stated that 22%, of those recruited by Russian intelligence services for operations in Ukraine are minors who have been used to prepare for sabotage or terrorist attacks.
-924c3c302c27387e19f6c44aaeb98745.png "Maryna Kulakova")
