Russia recruits teenagers for sabotage. Police provide advice on how to protect children from influence.

Russian special services are trying to recruit Ukrainian teenagers through messengers to use them for criminal activities in Ukraine. Special importance is given to manipulation or offers of "easy money" in this mission.

The Ukrainian police report that information about these "easy money" schemes for teenagers is spread through Telegram channels and chats. Russian special service operatives convince children that they can earn money by completing tasks of varying complexity.

These tasks can be simple, such as painting graffiti or posting provocative leaflets with elements of discreditation against the Armed Forces of Ukraine in public places. Alternatively, these can be more complex tasks, such as setting fire to transformer equipment or a military vehicle.

The police emphasize that these actions are illegal, and the responsibility for them lies with both the children and their parents. Therefore, they urge parents to be vigilant about potential threats and:

• warn children about the dangers of recruitment and the consequences of crimes;
• monitor the children's online activity and their social network acquaintances;
• immediately report signs of recruitment to the police by calling 102.

The police remind that citizens of Ukraine who report to state authorities about their contact with foreign special services or assigned tasks are exempt from criminal liability.

Currently, Russian special services are actively recruiting minors for sabotage work. This was reported by the head of the Kharkiv regional prosecutor's office, Oleksandr Filchakov.

He noted that pre-trial investigations are underway for seven criminal cases related to vehicle arson belonging to military personnel, as well as "Ukrzaliznytsia" relay cabinets. The involvement of 13 minors and young individuals is being investigated in these cases. The youngest recruit is only 10 years old!

Interestingly, special services and police detained two residents of the Ivano-Frankivsk region who committed a series of vehicle arsons belonging to the Ukrainian Defense Forces. One is 15 years old, and the other is 18 years old.