Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, incidents of sabotage targeting Russian railways and military sites have surged, often with young people behind the acts.
Offered $20,000
According to Deutsche Welle, some of these minors are reportedly motivated by financial offers.
Authorities claim that "pro-Ukrainian manipulators" on social media are persuading Russian youths to carry out these attacks, with some minors allegedly offered $20,000 through Telegram for setting military equipment ablaze, though payment often goes unfulfilled, according to Digi24.
To deter further acts, Russian officials are using propaganda videos to warn teens against involvement in sabotage and are pushing new legislation that would allow minors as young as 14 to be prosecuted for sabotage-related offenses.
Meanwhile, human rights advocates are concerned, warning that Russian security agents may be instigating some of the attacks themselves.
Detailed Instructions
One notable case involved two teens detained in Omsk after being caught on video admitting they attempted to set a military helicopter on fire for a promised payout they never received.
Another account describes how students in several Russian cities found QR code flyers in school restrooms, linking them to channels that offer money for attacks on infrastructure and military assets.
Journalists from Deutsche Welle, posing as students, investigated one of these Telegram channels, where operators advertised cash rewards: $5,000 for a helicopter, $10,000 for a plane, and other amounts for infrastructure sabotage.
Instructions on methods and techniques are reportedly detailed, though success in avoiding police capture is far from guaranteed.
With the Kremlin cracking down, human rights organizations report a rise in convictions, with at least 28 people jailed for sabotage since the invasion began. Russian legislators are considering reducing the prosecution age to discourage recruitment of minors,
