A dangerous trend is being recorded in Ukraine: Russian special services are actively recruiting underage Ukrainians for subversive activities. It's not just about spreading fakes or online propaganda - children are literally being used as cannon fodder, forcing them to carry out combat missions in peaceful territory for money. Recent court cases show: teenagers are burning military vehicles, preparing explosions near administrative buildings, and even agreeing to suicide attacks. And all this is at the dictation of curators from Telegram.
In October 2024, a 16-year-old boy in Odessa agreed to set fire to a car belonging to a serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for a monetary reward. He received the order via the Telegram messenger. He photographed a Hyundai SantaFe car on Bohdan Khmelnytsky Street, confirmed the “tag” to the customer, purchased fuel, and set fire to it at night. He recorded all the actions on video for the report.
During the trial, the young man sincerely admitted his guilt, repented, received positive characteristics and had no previous offenses. The Malinovsky District Court of Odessa found him guilty, but, given his age and circumstances, imposed a suspended sentence.
A similar story happened in Vinnytsia region. A student of the Zoziv Agrarian Lyceum fell into a similar scheme: for a monetary reward, he agreed to interfere with the Armed Forces. He was recruited through acquaintances by an intermediary, who, in turn, received instructions from a mysterious resident of Zhmerynka. She set him up with a Russian curator on Telegram. The court gave him 5 years in prison, which was replaced by 2 years of probation.
The SBU reported even more terrible plans of the enemy. An FSB agent was detained in Kherson, who was supposed to blow himself up with a bag of explosives near the territorial procurement center. The goal was a terrorist attack with a loud effect - with the agent's self-sacrifice.
An even more shocking story is in Ternopil. A 14-year-old schoolgirl was detained here, who was recruited by the Russians to blow up a police building. The child was actually used as a “walking detonator.” The task was to carry explosives to the entrance. According to the investigation, the Russians planned to blow her up remotely along with the planted explosive device.
These cases demonstrate a real threat: the enemy does not hesitate to use children as perpetrators of terrorist attacks. Modern digital platforms have become channels for recruitment, instruction, and control. The temptation of “easy money,” weak critical thinking, and lack of parental control all make adolescents vulnerable targets.
Usually, the tasks sound simple: take a photo, burn a car, deliver a package. But behind this lies a well-established sabotage network operating under the cover of Telegram channels, bots, and fake accounts.
Courts are still choosing mild punishments - suspended sentences, probationary periods. All because of age, lack of malicious intent, and mostly unconscious participation in the crime. But the problem is deeper. The state should not only punish, but also warn: systematic work with schools, media education, information security, support for families.
The conclusion is obvious: Russian agents will stop at nothing, and the new weapon in their hands is our children. We must unite our efforts against this: parents, educators, law enforcement officers, volunteers. Because every arson or explosion organized via Telegram is the result of our collective inattention.
