SBU suspects 16-year-old of plotting terror attack in central Kharkiv for $5,000

A 16-year-old was preparing a bombing in central Kharkiv on orders from Russian intelligence. Investigators said the minor assembled an explosive device that he was to plant in an apartment in a high-rise building.

The plan called for Russians to then call police to “lure” a patrol to the scene and detonate the device. The teenager was detained in a hotel room where he was making the bomb.

The Security Service of Ukraine said the minor was recruited after looking for “easy money” on a Telegram channel. In exchange for promises of “quick cash,” he traveled to Kharkiv, where a handler gave him coordinates of a stash from which he retrieved 4 kilograms (about 9 pounds) of explosives, a mobile phone and other bomb components.

The teen then took the package to a hotel room to assemble a homemade bomb. He was to receive from the Russians the location of an apartment and keys to enter it and install the improvised explosive device along with a mobile phone for remote detonation. Searches recovered the homemade bomb and a smartphone containing evidence of cooperation with the enemy.

Prosecutors said the handlers promised the teen $5,000 for carrying out the attack. He was initially paid about 20,000 hryvnias to cover travel to Kharkiv and housing costs.

He was charged with preparing a terrorist act committed by a group acting in prior conspiracy and faces up to 12 years in prison.

A court ordered him held in custody without the option of bail.

On Feb. 18, the Security Service of Ukraine said it detained a 17-year-old Kharkiv resident suspected of cooperating with Russia’s FSB and preparing attacks in crowded areas of the city.