Recruited “under a foreign flag”: Russian agent who set fire to a bank detained in Ternopil region

This was reported by the department.

According to investigators, the 24-year-old detained man lives in the Kremenets district. The man came to the attention of Russian special services through a thematic dating chatbot.

At first, he was corresponded with by a girl who introduced herself as an employee of the HR department of the State Emergency Service. Later, the man received a letter from an unknown person who called himself an “SBU officer.” He stated that his new acquaintance was allegedly cooperating with Russia.

To convince the man of the veracity of this story, the curator sent him a staged video supposedly showing the girl’s arrest. After that, he reported that another Russian agent, allegedly hiding in the bank, was acting with her.

Using psychological pressure and manipulation, the pseudo-SBU employee convinced the man that he should help law enforcement officers “smoke out” the agent from the building and detain him.

Following the curator’s instructions, the suspect purchased fuel and set it on fire near the entrance to the bank branch. Shortly thereafter, SBU and National Police operatives identified him and detained him.

Police investigators informed the man of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 194 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — intentional destruction or damage to property by arson. The sanction of the article provides for up to 10 years of imprisonment.

The SBU emphasized that Russian special services use various methods to recruit Ukrainians, in particular, they can pose as representatives of law enforcement agencies, employers, or people interested in romantic relationships.

Law enforcement officers urge not to carry out suspicious instructions from unknown persons. The SBU emphasizes that Ukrainian security forces do not involve civilians in arson, destruction of property, or other dangerous and illegal actions.