14-Year-Old Girl Detained for Arson of Transformer Substation in Odesa Region

Police have detained a 14-year-old resident of a village in Berezivskyi district, Odesa region, on suspicion of setting fire to a transformer substation in the village.

According to the Main Department of the National Police in Odesa Oblast, the incident occurred last week in the evening.

Investigators say that after waiting until it got dark outside, the girl went to the transformer substation, poured flammable liquid on it and set it on fire. She filmed the process on her phone to confirm the work done to the customer.

Villagers living nearby immediately noticed the fire, put it out and reported it to the police. The police tracked down the suspect and found out that the girl had agreed to set fire to the power plant for a monetary reward while looking for easy money in one of the phone messenger channels.

Law enforcement officers seized evidence of involvement in the crime from the place and from the minor, including a bottle of flammable liquid, a rag, a box of matches, and a cell phone with correspondence with the so-called curator.

Investigators initiated proceedings under Part 2 of Article 194-1 (intentional damage to electric power facilities) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. After the pre-trial investigation is completed, the issue of submitting a petition to the court to apply compulsory educational measures against the offender will be decided, as she has not reached the age of criminal liability for the crime she committed.

Earlier, law enforcement officers served notices of suspicion to eight people accused of arson at the request of representatives of the Russian Federation. Among them are three residents of Odesa who tried to set fire to a traffic light relay cabinet at the Odesa-Skhidna railway station.

Кирило Бойко