School shooting in Transcarpathia: incident linked to Russia

Incidents in schools in Transcarpathia, in particular the shooting in Chop, have been linked to the recruitment of teenagers by Russian special services.

This was announced by the head of the Transcarpathian OVA, Myroslav Biletsky .

According to him, at least two high-profile cases have been recorded in the region. In the village of Bushtyno, a student tried to bring a knife to school and planned to harm his classmates, but this was prevented.

Another incident occurred in Chop and ended in shooting. There were no casualties, but the minor faces life imprisonment.

Law enforcement officers have determined that in both cases, teenagers may have been recruited via the Internet, including online games. According to Biletsky, Russian special services purposefully study children, apply psychological pressure and intimidation to push them to commit illegal acts.

The regional authorities have decided to step up prevention. They plan to hold parent meetings in schools with the participation of law enforcement officers, where they will explain the mechanisms of recruitment and signs of influence on children.

Additional security measures have already been introduced in some educational institutions: police officers are on duty, metal detectors have been installed, and interaction with law enforcement has been strengthened.

Biletsky emphasized that adults’ attention to children can prevent dangerous consequences.

As previously reported, on April 16, a shooting incident occurred at a school in Transcarpathia. A 9th grade student pulled out a gun during class and fired, wounding his classmate. After that, the minor fled, but was later detained by law enforcement officers.

As a reminder, police are investigating the shooting at the Chopa educational institution as a terrorist act.