The Security Service of Ukraine, in collaboration with the National Police, successfully executed an operation that led to the detention of three individuals working for the Russian Federation and committing arson across various regions of Ukraine. These individuals, local residents, were recruited by the enemy through social networks in search of easy earnings.
However, they faced legal proceedings and potential long-term imprisonment.
Among those detained is a 21-year-old agent who set fire to a military vehicle undergoing technical maintenance after completing combat missions.
The perpetrator used flammable substances to commit the crime but was caught by the military counterintelligence of the SBU while preparing for new attacks in a frontline area.
In the Chernivtsi region, a 24-year-old man who previously served time for vehicle theft was also apprehended. After his release in the summer of 2024, he received an order from Russia to set fire to energy facilities of Ukrzaliznytsia.
He and an acquaintance ignited a local relay cabinet.
SBU investigators have already filed charges against the detainees under the Criminal Code of Ukraine:
- Part 1 of Article 114-1 (obstruction of lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine);
- Part 2 of Article 113 (diversion committed by a group of persons in collusion during a state of war).
The detainees are in custody and face penalties ranging from 8 years in prison to life imprisonment with property confiscation. The operation was carried out jointly with military counterintelligence and the prosecutor's office.
