In Kyiv, law enforcement officers detained a 21-year-old local resident suspected of setting fire to a post office on Yuriy Illienko Street. According to preliminary data, the young man was convinced that his acquaintance was allegedly collaborating with Russian special services.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Details of the Deception and the Crime
Before committing the crime, the young man met a girl in one of the messaging apps. After that, he received a call from unknown individuals who introduced themselves as security service employees and convinced him that his new acquaintance was an agent of the Russian Federation and was acting in favor of the enemy. Under pressure from the perpetrators, the man was instructed to set fire to the post office.
“It has been established that the day before, the young man met a girl in a messenger app, after which he received a call from unknown individuals who introduced themselves as employees of one of the security services and convinced him that his new acquaintance was allegedly an agent of the Russian Federation and was working for the enemy. Subsequently, the fake law enforcement officers forced the Kyiv resident to set fire to the post office,” said Ihor Padiuk, head of the Shevchenkivskyi police department.
The perpetrator purchased flammable liquid and matches, then doused the walls of one of the postal facilities with the combustible mixture and set them on fire. After the arson, he left the crime scene, but his identity was quickly identified thanks to surveillance camera footage.
Legal Qualification and Police Warnings
As of today, the man has been charged under part 2 of Article 194 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — intentional destruction or damage to property by fire. This article provides for imprisonment for up to ten years.
Law enforcement once again draws citizens’ attention to the dangers of information provocations from the enemy and urges caution in communication with strangers, especially online. No suspicious or illegal instructions received in phone calls or online should be followed, and any suspicious situations must be reported to the police immediately.