A bank branch was set on fire in Ternopil; the suspect may have been recruited by Russian intelligence services
In Ternopil, law enforcement officers detained a 22-year-old local resident on suspicion of setting fire to a bank branch. The incident occurred on the evening of March 24 in the "Soniachnyi" neighborhood.
This was reported by the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Ternopil region.
“Ternopil police, together with SBU officers, detained a 22-year-old man on suspicion of setting fire to a bank branch,” the statement said.
According to police, a report of a fire at the bank was received around 9:00 p.m. The fire was quickly extinguished, and there were no casualties. At the same time, an inspection of the scene revealed that the fire was caused by arson.
Investigators determined that a 22-year-old man from Ternopil was involved in the crime; he was detained in accordance with Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.
According to law enforcement officials, the man may have been recruited by representatives of Russian intelligence agencies through a dating website. He was told that his new “acquaintance” had allegedly been detained, and he was offered the chance to “help” secure her release by setting a fire.
Subsequently, the suspect received detailed instructions from his handler regarding the preparation and execution of the crime. A “deposit” was transferred to his bank card. After that, he purchased gasoline, arrived at the branch, and set it on fire while maintaining constant contact with his handler.
A criminal case has been opened regarding the intentional destruction or damage of property by arson. The penalty under this article provides for up to 10 years of imprisonment.
The issue of formally charging the detainee and selecting a preventive measure is currently being decided.
The day before, the Counterintelligence Directorate of the Security Service of Ukraine detained another agent of the Russian GRU in Rivne. He turned out to be a former factory worker in Donetsk Oblast who had been recruited by the enemy and had traveled to western Ukraine to coordinate airstrikes.
Earlier, the Security Service and the National Police thwarted new attempts by the occupiers to organize a series of explosions in Kharkiv. As a result of operational measures, an 18-year-old Russian agent who was preparing terrorist attacks in the city center was detained. The suspect is in custody.
In Rivne, a Russian agent was preparing a terrorist attack using a homemade bomb made from a pot.
Earlier, the Security Service of Ukraine detained a Russian agent in the Kharkiv region who was collecting data for missile and bomb strikes on Ukrainian military positions in the Kupiansk direction.
In addition, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) detained a Russian agent who, under the guise of fulfilling defense contracts, was coordinating airstrikes on Kyiv.
Prior to this, the Security Service of Ukraine detained an enemy agent in Zaporizhzhia who was attempting to infiltrate a strategic enterprise of the defense-industrial complex.
As a reminder, an SBU employee was detained while receiving a $68,000 bribe.
The SBU also exposed seven enemy agitators in five regions of Ukraine.
