Two teenagers detained in Rivne, accused of Russian-ordered terrorist act

Rivne, Ukraine – Law enforcement in Rivne has detained two teenagers who are accused of carrying out a terrorist act orchestrated by Russian special services, as reported by both the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the National Police.

Investigators reported that the teenagers, following Russian instructions, assembled an explosive device using grenades, nuts, and mobile phones capable of remote detonation. They installed the device in an abandoned building outside the city and additionally equipped it with motion sensors and remotely accessible video cameras, according to the SBU.

To lure the police to the scene, the teenagers called the emergency services and reported an alleged murder. According to their fabricated story, they found a body in the building with an axe nearby.

“A rapid investigative and operational group and the regional police leadership immediately responded to the scene… as they began inspecting the premises and ascended to the second floor, they heard a click characteristic of a grenade fuse activating,” the National Police recounted.

After the first explosion and further examination of the building, another unexploded device was found.

The suspects were apprehended the same day at their homes, where they were awaiting a cryptocurrency transfer promised by Russian special services. The exact amount offered by the Russians to the teenagers for carrying out the terrorist act was not disclosed by law enforcement.

If convicted, the teenagers face up to 12 years in prison, with or without property confiscation.

The recruitment of children in Ukraine by Russian special services is one of the challenges minors face during the full-scale invasion. The UN, in assessing such cases, states that they may constitute another violation of international law committed by the Russian Federation.

Ukrainian authorities have been advised to use detention for child suspects only as a last resort in connection with such cases.

Earlier, a teenager from the Chernihiv region, convicted of treason, entered into a plea bargain and received a five-year prison sentence, while a schoolgirl in the Mykolaiv region was given a one-year probation period for sabotage under a similar agreement.