14-Year-Old Arrested for Arson in Odesa After Internet Recruitment

A 14-year-old boy recruited by Russian special services set fire to a military man's car in Odesa. However, he never received payment. Now the teenager faces prison.

This was reported by the press service of the National Police in Odesa region.

They explained that the young man was recruited via the Internet, promising him a monetary reward for committing a crime. The police, along with the SBU, found that the teenager received instructions from a curator who identified the target of the attack and ordered him to set fire to a Jeep Patriot SUV in the Kyiv district of the city. The incident occurred in early January 2025, and only thanks to the prompt intervention of rescuers was the fire extinguished.

Law enforcement officers investigated and detained the man. Evidence confirming his involvement in the crime was found in his house. Despite the completed task, the young man never received the promised payment. Now he faces a serious punishment - a long term of imprisonment.

The SBU is currently checking the teenager for involvement in other arsons and sabotage in the region.

At the same time, law enforcement officers urged parents to keep a closer eye on their children, as enemy agents use the financial difficulties of young people to involve them in criminal activities.

Earlier, the Security Service and the National Police neutralized a criminal group that was carrying out an "order" from Russia to commit arson attacks. As a result of the special operation in Kherson, Odesa and Mykolaiv, the organizer and three members of the criminal group coordinated by the FSB were detained.

In addition, police in Odesa region detained 19 and 17-year-old residents of the region for setting fire to a patrol car.

Meanwhile, against the backdrop of massive car bombings in Odesa, additional inspectionsof vehicles used by the military were promised.

Ірина Глухова