Ukrainian journalists uncovered a scheme used by Russian special services to recruit arsonists for Ukrainian army vehicles.

Radio Svoboda reported that Russian special services are massively recruiting children for sabotage in Ukraine.

Journalists of Radio Svoboda’s newsroom and investigative department, Schemy, obtained fragments of conversations and correspondence between recruiters and underage Ukrainian arsonists.

The most common way to find “performers” is through Telegram, in groups with offers to make “quick money.”

The fact that children agree to perform such tasks does not bother the recruiters; on the contrary, they convince the “performers” that they will not be punished for it.

Ukrainians started to systematically receive numerous job offers with attractive conditions, part-time employment with a free schedule, and generous pay, in May of this year.

Such announcements are posted in Telegram groups for job search, dating, or information about “raids by the Territorial Center for Recruitment and Social Support.”

Those interested are told the truth. There is a catch because, in fact, it regards sabotage, namely arson attacks on vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Ukrzaliznytsia equipment, or buildings of the Territorial Center for Recruitment and Social Support.

Watching pro-Russian media, the user may get the impression that an active underground has allegedly emerged in Ukraine, according to the number of videos showing people in camouflage calling to join the resistance movement.

The journalists published a fragment of the conversation of the person who ordered the arson with the future arsonist – a minor boy from one of the western regions of Ukraine who is currently in jail:

“The main thing is that we then edit the video and post it in the media, stating that angry citizens are f@cking the Territorial Center for Recruitment and Social Support. This is done to destabilize the country and instill a negative attitude towards the government in people. That’s why we don’t give a f@ck what burns down. The most important thing is what people will think. And if it has symbols on it, people will think what they need to think. Do you understand?”

At the end of September, law enforcement agencies recorded 266 cases of arson attacks on military and volunteer vehicles since the beginning of the year.