A man convicted of setting fire to Ukrainian Armed Forces vehicles blamed artificial intelligence for everything

In the city of Shostka, Sumy Oblast, a court has sentenced a local resident who, throughout May and June 2025, deliberately destroyed vehicles belonging to Ukrainian defenders. 

Sud.ua reported this, citing case materials, noting that the perpetrator managed to burn two cars for a fee. 

During the court hearing, the man attempted to justify his actions by claiming he was influenced by artificial intelligence prompts; however, the court rejected this version as implausible. The investigation established that the defendant acted on instructions from an anonymous online handler who promised him quick money due to the defendant’s financial difficulties. 

For each successful arson, the suspect received $500 after providing video evidence of the completed work. Law enforcement officers caught the arsonist “red-handed” while attempting to destroy a third car on one of the city’s streets. In addition to the prison sentence, the convicted man must compensate the owners of the damaged property for the losses incurred. Currently, the first-instance court’s verdict can still be appealed. Law enforcement officials remind the public that collaborating with representatives of the Russian Federation or carrying out their tasks for money during wartime is punishable by the strictest penalties.

A man who set fire to seven cars in Kyiv on behalf of the Russian Federation has been detained.

Earlier, the Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police detained three FSB agents who, on orders from Russian special services, carried out acts of sabotage and arson in Kropyvnytskyi and Chernivtsi.