Court sentences 3 men to 15 years in prison for arson of railway infrastructure facilities and military vehicle

A court in Kyiv has sentenced three men who set fire to railway infrastructure facilities and a serviceman’s car for money. Each of the defendants received 15 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property, the Office of the General Prosecutor reports.

In its Telegram channel on Wednesday, the prosecutor’s office noted that the men did not plead guilty in court; however, the prosecution’s evidence was sufficient, and the court found them guilty of sabotage, obstructing the legitimate activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and intentional damage to property by arson.

"Prosecutors proved that in July 2024, the men, born in 1996, 2004, and 2005, acted on order. First, they set fire to two relay cabinets of JSC Ukrzaliznytsia, which could have caused disruptions in the railway’s operation and created an emergency hazard," the report says.

For this arson, as the department clarifies, the defendants received $200 and divided the money among themselves.

On the same day, according to the prosecutor’s office, the perpetrators set fire to a Nissan Navara car belonging to a serviceman.

"The crime was filmed on video to report to the customer on the completed task. For this episode, they were promised another $1,000," the prosecutor’s office informs.

In addition to 15 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property, they must compensate JSC Ukrzaliznytsia for the damages caused.

Currently, all three are in custody.

The public prosecution was supported by prosecutors of the Obolon District Prosecutor’s Office of the city of Kyiv.