Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, more than 1,100 Ukrainians have been accused of arson, terrorism or sabotage, according to Ukraine's security service, the SBU. One in five are minors, often recruited online by strangers believed to be working for Russian special services.
In September 2024, 15-year-old Vitalii and friends set fire to railway communication cabinets near Chernihiv, filming the act for a man called 'Sania' who had offered hundreds of dollars online. Vitalii received $23. He later said, 'You could say I was duped.' His lawyer seeks to downgrade charges from sabotage to property damage, arguing no intent to harm Ukraine.
Of minors accused of betrayal since the war began, roughly half have been convicted, while the rest were acquitted, freed on bail or given community service, per Ukraine's justice ministry. Many are motivated by money, not pro-Russian sympathies.
A March 2025 UN report noted 'credible allegations' that Russia used Ukrainian children for surveillance and sabotage. Last year, a 17-year-old died and a 15-year-old was injured when an explosive device they were building detonated. In March, two police officers were hurt in a Kyiv explosion the SBU called a Russian-orchestrated terrorist attack.
Russia's Federal Security Service did not comment. A Russian official accused Ukraine of using Telegram to recruit for attacks inside Russia, a claim the SBU did not address.
