A man was arrested in Ternopil for setting fire to a bank on behalf of Russia

Police, in cooperation with the SBU, detained a 24-year-old resident of the Kremenets District who is suspected of setting fire to the main entrance of a commercial bank branch in Ternopil. According to the investigation, the man acted on the instructions of a Russian handler.

 

This was reported on Facebook by the SBU Office in the Ternopil region.

“The Security Service, in cooperation with the National Police, detained a resident of the Ternopil region who set fire to the main entrance of a commercial bank branch in Ternopil. The perpetrator turned out to be a 24-year-old resident of the Kremenets district, whom hostile intelligence services exploited without his knowledge, using a ‘false flag’ recruitment tactic,” the statement reads.

According to the investigation, the man came to the enemy’s attention while using a themed dating chatbot. Initially, he was chatting with a woman who posed as an employee of the State Emergency Service’s human resources department. Then, an unknown handler contacted the man, identifying himself as an “SBU officer” and claiming that his new acquaintance was allegedly involved in collaboration with Russia.

According to law enforcement officials, to create the illusion that the suspect was participating in a “special operation,” the handler sent him a staged video purporting to show the girl’s “arrest.” In addition, the recruiter claimed that another Russian agent was working alongside the detainee and was hiding inside the bank, the SBU noted.

“Using psychological pressure and manipulation, the fake security officer convinced the young man that he had to help law enforcement ‘flush out’ the fictitious agent from the premises and detain him,” the SBU added.

It is noted that the deceived man, following his handler’s instructions, purchased fuel and set it on fire in front of the bank branch’s entrance.

Shortly thereafter, operatives from the SBU and the National Police identified the arsonist and detained him.

Based on the evidence gathered, police investigators informed the detainee that he was suspected of violating Part 2 of Article 194 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (intentional destruction or damage to property committed by arson), which carries a penalty of imprisonment for up to 10 years.

Source: SBU

Earlier in Kyiv, the administrator of a Telegram channel calling for terrorist attacks was exposed.

Prior to that, law enforcement officers detained a military officer suspected of working for the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). According to the case file, the man was collecting data on defense and critical infrastructure facilities to coordinate massive strikes on Kyiv on September 21–24.

Earlier, a Russian spy ring was uncovered in the Kharkiv region, and four members were taken into custody.

Previously, a female officer of the General Staff was detained for accepting a bribe of 14,000 dollars.