Russia's Hybrid Warfare Targets Ukrainian Teenagers for Espionage

Russia continues to use hybrid warfare tactics. The occupiers are trying to involve Ukrainian teenagers in sabotage and espionage, promising easy money or manipulation. One of the cases happened to a schoolboy from Odesa.

According to Oleksiy Biloshitsky, First Deputy Head of the Patrol Police Department, a local school student received a suspicious message in a messenger: "Hi! Are you from Odesa? Do you want to make some money? It's not difficult - just take a picture of the ships entering the port."

Screenshot of the correspondence with the teenager / Photo: Oleksii Biloshytskyi.

The boy was not at a loss to collect evidence and find out more information, he started a correspondence with the recruiter. Subsequently, the student reported this to an inspector of the educational security service. The collected data was passed on to the relevant law enforcement agencies.

Screenshot of the correspondence with the teenager / Photo: Oleksiy Biloshytsky.

The police urged children and parents to be especially careful.

What to do if you receive a suspicious offer on the Internet:

• Take screenshots of correspondence or messages.
• Tell adults - parents, teachers, or someone you trust.
• Don't stay silent. Your attention can save lives.

"Dear parents, do not lose your vigilance, communicate with your children, explain the danger of illegal actions and the consequences of their commission," the statement reads.

Recently, the Malynovskyi District Court of Odesa sentenced a 16-year-old teenager to three years in prison for setting fire to a car belonging to a military man. And a 14-year-old resident of Berezovsky district was detained by police on suspicion of setting fire to a transformer substation in the village.

Also in Mykolaiv region, a minor was tried for setting fire to transformer substations on the orders of Russians and receiving money. The court found him guilty, sentenced him to five years in prison, but released him from serving his sentence on condition of compensation for the damage.

Photo: Oleksiy Biloshytsky.

Ірина Глухова