They offered to expose traitors: bank arsonist detained in Odesa

A 26-year-old man accused of setting fire to a bank branch on fire on demand will stand trial in Odesa. Law enforcement officers have completed the pre-trial investigation and submitted the indictment to the court - he faces up to ten years in prison for his actions.

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

The incident occurred in November last year in the bank's premises on the first floor of a high-rise building on Admiralsky Avenue. The fire was reported by a passing witness. Rescuers promptly extinguished the fire without causing any casualties, but the fire damaged the bank's interior, the building's facade, and the property of several apartments.

During the investigation, the police found that a resident of Khadzhybeyskyi district of Odesa was involved in the arson. According to the investigation, the man was recruited by representatives of enemy special services. On the eve of the crime, he met the girl through a chatbot in a popular messenger, but she did not come to the meeting. Instead, he was contacted by an unknown person who introduced himself as a law enforcement officer and said that his new acquaintance was allegedly a collaborator.

The offender convinced the man to "help expose her accomplices," who, according to legend, were hiding in a bank and adjusting enemy shelling. He was promised a thousand dollars for completing the task, but in fact he received only a part of the money - 100 dollars for expenses.

Agreeing to the offer, the Odesa resident bought gasoline and set fire to the entrance of the banking institution in the evening. He recorded his actions on video and handed them over to the "curator", after which he fled the scene.

As it turned out, all communication was part of a hostile scheme, and the information about the "saboteurs" in the bank was fictitious. The institution was operating as usual and had nothing to do with the suspicions.

The man was charged with intentional damage to another's property by arson, which caused significant damage and was committed by prior conspiracy by a group of people. The case has already been sent to court.

Also in Odesa, a 22-year-old man was detained who agreed to set fire to a truck found through a messenger in exchange for money. He did not receive the promised money, and now faces up to 10 years in prison.

Анна Бальчінос