Court prohibits teen who set military vehicle on fire from using popular messenger.

Teen convicted for obstructing the activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

The Izmail District Court of the Odessa region found the teenager guilty of obstructing the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This was reported by 'Court Reporter'.

On August 18, 2024, the boy set fire to a military serviceman's vehicle parked in a lot, using a petrol bottle. The repair of the vehicle became economically unfeasible, and the owner's damages amounted to about 80 thousand UAH.

During the court hearing, the accused explained that he received an offer via Telegram from an unknown person to set the vehicle on fire for which he was promised 2000 US dollars.

The boy, who lived in a village in the Izmail district, traveled to the district center to set fire to a car that matched the description given to him. He searched for a suitable vehicle for a long Time but could not find one, so he was promised 2500 dollars. At the end of the day, he found the required vehicle, waited for a certain moment, and around 10 PM set it on fire. He filmed everything on video and sent it to the curator, then returned home. However, he never received the money, as he was told that the video was of low quality. Three days later, he was arrested. At that time, he was 16 years old.

In court, the teenager claimed that he did not understand the seriousness of his actions at that time, but while being held in the pre-trial detention center, he realized that he made a big mistake. He claims to have already drawn conclusions for himself. Taking into account his health condition, he insists that he cannot be in custody.

According to the case materials, the arsonist is an 11th-grade student at a rural school.

Court decided not to punish the teenager with imprisonment

The court explained its verdict, stating that the actions of the accused could not create significant obstacles for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as only one vehicle was set on fire, and that was not at the front. Measures were also taken for voluntary compensation of damages, as well as assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The court believes that the arsonist did not intend to harm Ukraine or support the enemy but acted out of selfish motives, being a minor, aged 16, with insufficient psychological resilience and life experience, influenced by other individuals. The court believes that real punishment in the form of imprisonment for the minor defendant in this case would lead to double losses: in addition to the harm from the crime, his future would also be in question.

In delivering the verdict, the court took into account the sincere remorse, active cooperation in the investigation of the crime, voluntary compensation for damages, and the minority status of the accused. He was sentenced to five years of probation with a probation period of two years.

During the probation period, the boy is prohibited from leaving his place of residence from 7:00 PM to 6:00 AM as well as from using the Telegram messenger.

Earlier, two residents of Ivano-Frankivsk were reported suspicion for setting fire to 'military' vehicles on order. Also, in Kyiv, a mother and son were found who set military vehicles on fire for order. Law enforcement officials reported suspicion against a 48-year-old woman and her minor son.