A man from Odessa and his accomplice were each sentenced to 15 years for arson on the railroad

The court sentenced two Russian agents who set fire to railway equipment to 15 years in prison each. They were attempting to disrupt freight transportation at the Port of Odesa.

Accordingto the Security Service of Ukraine, both convicts also had their property confiscated. 

The SBU stated that in February 2025, both perpetrators were apprehended “red-handed” after they set fire to a relay cabinet of a signaling system on a railroad line connected to the port’s infrastructure.

According to the investigation, the mission assigned by Russian special services was carried out by an Odesa resident who had previously been convicted of theft, robbery, and fraud. He was recruited through specialized Telegram chat rooms where he was looking for a way to make quick money.

In exchange for the promised money, he was instructed to set fire to equipment on the railroad line leading to the port infrastructure. To carry out the mission, the Odessa resident enlisted the help of an unemployed acquaintance.

To carry out the sabotage, the accomplices purchased an incendiary mixture and arrived at the site at 6 a.m. to set it on fire. In this way, the enemy hoped to disrupt freight logistics heading toward the seaport.

After his arrest, law enforcement officers searched the man’s residence. There, they seized several cell phones, in which, according to the SBU, they found evidence of his collaboration with Russian intelligence services.

The court found both men guilty of sabotage committed by a group of people acting in concert during martial law. 

Ірина Глухова