Ukrainian traitor arrested for arson attacks on military vehicles on FSB orders

The suspect was remotely recruited by the FSB when he was looking for quick money-making opportunities online.

He attempted to set fire to a total of six vehicles, including military SUVs, pickups, and multivans over several days.

To conduct arson attacks in the capital, he rented an apartment in Kyiv. The suspect wore dark clothes and a hat, came to a parked military vehicle at night and then set it on fire, SBU said.

He filmed the fires and provided the footage to the FSB for psychological and informational operations in Ukraine about the alleged presence of a pro-Russian partisans in Kyiv.

Similar attacks were planned in other big Ukrainian cities.

The suspect was in direct contact with a representative of Russia's Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) and received orders and instructions on how to carry out attacks, including methods of committing arson and conspiracy.

During the search of the detainee's apartment, the SBU seized a cell phone evidencing his communication with the GRU.

He was charged with obstructing the lawful activities of the Armed Forces and other military formations under Part 1 Art. 114-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. He is currently in custody and faces up to 8 years in prison.

This follows a series of other arson attacks and arrests across Ukraine.

SBU jointly with the National Police detained a group of young people in Odesa on July 29 who conducted a series of arson attacks on Defense Forces' military cars on the Russian FSB orders.

The same law enforcement agencies dismantled a Russian FSB spy network on July 25 that was plotting arson attacks in densely populated areas in Ukraine, Poland, and the Baltic states.

A group of saboteurs from Cherkasy and Kharkiv, who carried out arson attacks on critical infrastructure equipment and military vehicles, were exposed in Kyiv on July 24.