Russian special services involve children in reporting fake mining of facilities in Ukraine – SBU
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has established new facts confirming that Russia involves minors in subversive activities against Ukraine – reporting alleged mining of government buildings and social infrastructure.
"The SBU has blocked the criminal actions of a teenage group involved in a series of anonymous reporting pseudo-mining in the capital and other regions of Ukraine. The teenagers most often 'mined' buildings of public authorities and social infrastructure facilities," the SBU said on its website on Wednesday.
According to the SBU, in October last year, teenagers simultaneously reported the fake mining of 14 local courts.
According to the investigation, the criminal activities of the group members were remotely coordinated by representatives of the Russian special services.
"For this, a specialized Internet community was created to which underage residents of different regions of Ukraine were regularly attracted. It was on the instructions of the aggressor that the teenagers from time to time sent false messages about 'mining' to the e-mail addresses of state institutions," the SBU said.
Thus, the enemy tried to undermine the internal situation in Ukraine.
It was established that the distribution was carried out on behalf of unauthorized persons and using special computer programs to conceal their location.
As a result of the investigation, the SBU officers exposed the organizer of the group.
"He turned out to be a minor resident of Chernihiv region. The offender was in contact with a representative of the Russian intelligence service, who contacted the teenager via a messenger and set him tasks," the SBU said.
During a search at the address of the pseudo-miner, a mobile phone and a computer with evidence of illegal activity and communication with the aggressor were found.
As part of the criminal proceedings initiated under Part 2 of Article 259 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (knowingly false report about a threat to the security of citizens, destruction or damage to critical infrastructure, buildings, and structures that ensure the functioning of government bodies), investigative actions are ongoing.
The SBU draws attention to the fact that in the event of an untrue report about alleged mining by minors, the parents of the child are liable.
The sanction of the article provides for a punishment of up to eight years in prison.
