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Ukraine accuses Russia of recruiting minors for sabotage attacks via Telegram
A 17-year-old from eastern Ukraine traveled 500 miles to collect a bomb and phone hidden in a park in Rivne, lured by a $2,000 payment to target a military conscription van, Ukrainian authorities allege. The teen, now 18, faces terrorism charges after the SBU security service intercepted the plot. Speaking from detention, he admitted the gravity of his actions: "I thought it could explode. I thought I might die."
Hundreds of minors allegedly targeted
Ukraine's SBU claims over 800 citizens-including 240 minors as young as 11-have been recruited online by Russian operatives. Cybersecurity expert Anastasiia Apetyk notes cases of children as young as nine being approached. "They exploit vulnerability," said Andriy Nebytov of Ukraine's National Police, citing household chemicals turned into explosives for attacks on recruitment offices and police stations.
Recruitment primarily occurs on Telegram, TikTok, and gaming platforms, with financial incentives-not ideology-driving participation, officials say. The teen, identified only as Vlad to protect his identity, described his handler, "Roman," as speaking Russian with a street accent. Tasks escalated from collecting a (missing) grenade for $30 to arson, netting him just $100 in cryptocurrency-far less than promised.
Telegram channels fuel anti-conscription anger
BBC investigators found recruitment channels amplifying grievances against Ukraine's conscription system, marred by corruption allegations. Undercover inquiries revealed price lists for attacks: $1,500 for torching a post office, $3,000 for a bank. "Security glass makes banks harder to hit," one handler explained, advising petrol or Molotov cocktails. Even unrelated groups-refugee aid or beauty tips-hosted ads for "high-paying part-time work," later revealed as sabotage.
Telegram removed some reported channels but left others active. One grew by 750 subscribers during BBC monitoring. The platform stated it prohibits "calls to violence or property destruction," though enforcement appears inconsistent.
Deadly consequences and global parallels
Ukrainian officials accuse Russian intelligence of orchestrating the network, citing cases where handlers remotely detonated bombs, killing couriers. In March, a 17-year-old died and a 15-year-old was injured when a device exploded en route to a rail station. The Russian Embassy in London dismissed the allegations, countering that Ukraine deploys similar tactics against Russian civilians.
Beyond Ukraine, European governments report Russian agents recruiting young men for arson and surveillance. In the UK, six men were jailed for a Russian-directed arson attack on a London warehouse aiding Ukraine. Vlad's warning to potential recruits: "They'll cheat you, land you in prison, or the bomb will kill you."
"Children don't always grasp the consequences. The enemy uses them to make explosives from household chemicals, targeting recruitment offices or police stations."
Andriy Nebytov, Deputy Head of Ukraine's National Police
