Foreigners who committed arsons in western Ukraine receive 12 years in prison
Based on the evidence base collected by the counterintelligence and investigators of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), two foreigners who carried out arsons in the western regions of Ukraine at the behest of Russia have been sentenced to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property, the SBU reports on Wednesday.
"The SBU exposed and detained two 27-year-old citizens of a neighboring European country in November 2025 in Ivano-Frankivsk region," the statement on Telegram says.
According to the case files, one of the foreigners was recruited on Telegram, where he wrote comments in support of Russia’s armed aggression, and later involved his acquaintance. Following recruitment, they were dispatched together to Ukraine to perform tasks.
The perpetrators settled in a hotel in Chernivtsi and committed arson of a local administrative building, after which they planned to set fire to a village council in Ivano-Frankivsk region.
During searches at the scenes of the incidents and in the hotel, smartphones and other items confirming their cooperation with the enemy were seized.
The court found both perpetrators guilty under Part 2 of Article 258 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (terrorist act committed by prior conspiracy by a group of persons).
The investigation was conducted by SBU officers in Chernivtsi region jointly with the National Police under the procedural guidance of the regional prosecutor’s office.