The key facts

  • A 15-year-old resident of Novosibirsk Region was sentenced to five years of imprisonment in an educational colony
  • According to the investigation, for money she attempted to set fire to a relay cabinet in Krasnoyarsk and filmed it on her phone
  • The detention was carried out by the FSB Directorate for Krasnoyarsk Krai and the MVD Transport Directorate for the Siberian Federal District

Verdict for a minor

In Novosibirsk Region, a court has sentenced a 15-year-old girl, finding her guilty of attempted terrorist act. The punishment is five years of imprisonment in an educational colony. This was reported by Gazeta.Ru citing the Investigative Committee of Russia; the agency's press service also published a message about the verdict on its channel.

What the investigation established

According to the investigation, the girl corresponded via a messenger with an unknown person; it is not specified who initiated the contact — she herself or the interlocutor. During the communication, she agreed to set fire to a relay cabinet in Krasnoyarsk for money. At the scene, she carried out the required actions, filmed the arson attempt on her phone and fled. The detention was carried out by officers of the FSB Directorate for Krasnoyarsk Krai and the MVD Transport Directorate for the Siberian Federal District.

Context and the Investigative Committee's warning

The Investigative Committee reminded that foreign intelligence services recruit Russians for such tasks, and urged that in case of such offers people refuse and report to law enforcement. Gazeta.Ru also notes that it was previously reported about an unemployed migrant and a student who, according to the publication, agreed to commit a terrorist act for Ukrainian money in Russia — that is, the described scheme of paying for tasks via messengers has appeared before. Who exactly corresponded with the teenager and whether the curator's identity was established is not stated in the publications.