Custom-made minibus arsonist to be tried in Odesa

A 41-year-old man accused of setting fire to two minibuses ordered via a messenger will be tried in Odesa. According to the investigation, he was promised $700 for each burned car, but he never received the money.

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

The incident occurred in February this year in the Kyiv district of Odesa. In the morning, law enforcement officers received a report of two minibuses - a Ford Transit and a Mercedes-Benz Vito - on fire in the yards on Kosmonavtiv and Heroiv Krut streets. Rescuers quickly extinguished the fires, and no one was injured.

During the investigation, police found that a local resident was involved in the arsons. According to the investigation, the man was looking for a part-time job in a messenger, where an unknown person offered him money for setting fire to cars in Odesa.

Law enforcement officers found out that the accused poured flammable liquid on the cars and set them on fire at dawn. He recorded the process on video to report back to the "customer". However, the man did not receive the promised reward - instead, he was exposed by law enforcement.

The pre-trial investigation is now complete, and the indictment has already been submitted to court. The man is accused of intentional damage to property by arson. He faces up to ten years in prison.

Also, one burned car in the center of Odesa led law enforcement to a serial arsonist who was preparing a sabotage in the SEC building. According to the investigation, in early February 2026, the suspect was looking for a part-time job on Telegram and established contact with an unknown customer. The latter offered him money for setting fire to cars, including those that might belong to the military, law enforcement or commercial entities. In this case, the contractor received payment for the arson in two transactions worth 25 thousand hryvnias.

Анна Бальчінос