Russia pays young Ukrainians to be unwitting suicide bombers in shadow war

 

Russia pays young Ukrainians to be unwitting suicide bombers in shadow war

Russian intelligence has escalated its sabotage campaign inside Ukraine by tricking young Ukrainians into unknowingly delivering bombs. Nineteen-year-old Oleh found what seemed like a simple job via a Telegram channel. He was promised $1,000 to spray paint a message on a police station wall. But the bag he received contained a crude explosive device with wires and a mobile phone detonation system.

Ukraine’s SBU security agency has linked more than a dozen recent attacks to these operations. The perpetrators are often poor or vulnerable, and about a quarter are teenagers. After offering small jobs like photographing official buildings or spreading flyers, the so-called “curators” on Telegram then escalate the demands, using manipulation or blackmail to coerce the recruits.

Oleh, unemployed and a young father, first completed photo tasks for $50 before being approached again for the Rivne mission. He took his friend Serhiy with him to share the money. At the pickup point, they collected what they thought was a paint-filled rucksack. Suspicious, Oleh opened the package and saw a bomb. He alerted a nearby police officer, just as SBU agents moved in.

The SBU had been monitoring them, knowing a similar attack had killed a 21-year-old days earlier. They intercepted the detonator signal, preventing disaster. The real objective had been to explode the device near a crowded police entrance, killing Oleh and others.

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According to Ukraine’s SBU, Russia’s shift from arson to bombings marks a dangerous new phase in its hybrid war tactics. Instead of deploying agents directly, Russian handlers coordinate through Telegram using local Ukrainiansoften teenagerswho are unaware they are carrying live explosives. The bomb assembly and delivery process is divided among separate people so no single recruit fully understands the mission.

The SBU has arrested over 700 suspects in 2024 alone for roles in sabotage and terrorism. Many were recruited using cryptocurrencies like USDT and were driven by financial hardship. Some curators used friendly messages, flirting, or emotional manipulation. Others resorted to threats or blackmail. In one case, hackers gained access to a teenage girl’s phone and threatened to publish intimate content if she did not comply.

Devices are sometimes fitted with cameras and tracking tools, allowing Russian handlers to guide the carrier in real time and choose the deadliest moment to trigger detonation. Oleh’s bag had such a setup, allowing his handler “Alexander” to watch his movements and plan the blast. Fortunately, the SBU used signal-jamming equipment to block the explosion in time.

The security service believes similar bomb-making operations have been conducted by other young Ukrainians under Telegram influence. One girl arrested in Rivne had received video tutorials on assembling explosives.

In response, Ukraine has launched school-based awareness campaigns warning students about these schemes. A chatbot has also been introduced for young people to report suspicious job offers or Telegram accounts.

Western intelligence officials worry that Ukraine may be just the beginning. Russia has already conducted sabotage in European countries, and Ukrainian officials warn that these tactics could spread beyond its borders. What begins as a “side gig” can end in tragedya terrifying lesson in the age of digital warfare.