Investigators Blame Ukraine, Teenagers for Far East Forest Fires
Investigators Blame Ukraine, Teenagers for Far East Forest Fires

Investigators Blame Ukraine, Teenagers for Far East Forest Fires

How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.

Diverging Reports Breakdown

Investigators Blame Ukraine, Teenagers for Far East Forest Fires

The committee announced terrorism charges against two 16-year-old suspects. The pair allegedly set fire to dry grass and pine needles in the Zabaikalsky region. The committee said the pair were offered $975 for their services.

Read full article ▼
Russia’s Investigative Committee said Tuesday that Ukrainian operatives were behind the recent forest fires in the Zabaikalsky region, according to a statement on the agency’s official Telegram channel.

The committee announced terrorism charges against two 16-year-old suspects, allegedly recruited through social media.

According to investigators, one suspect began communicating in June with an individual located in Ukraine who offered 80,000 rubles ($975) in exchange for setting the fires.

The teenager reportedly recruited a friend, and the pair purchased lighters before traveling to a woodland area near Atamanovka in the Chita district, where they ignited dry grass and pine needles.

The committee said that the suspects filmed their actions on a mobile phone and sent the footage to their purported handler, although they never received the promised payment for their services.

The teenagers’ arson allegedly triggered a massive wildfire that caused damage exceeding 300 million rubles ($3.65 million), according to official estimates.

Source: Themoscowtimes.com | View original article

Source: https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/07/29/investigators-blame-ukraine-teenagers-for-far-east-forest-fires-a90016

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *