The SSU has exposed two regional leaders of the group of anonymous ‘alerters’ FR Destructor, which during the last two years sent numerous false warnings on ‘bomb alerts’ in various regions of Ukraine.

The group became particularly active on the eve of russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine and resumed its destructive activities in recent months.

The law enforcement located the suspects at their place of residence after another anonymous ‘bomb warning’ at infrastructure facilities in western Ukraine.

The pre-trial investigation established that these ‘anonymous’ individuals were involved in dissemination of mass false warnings about possible explosions at aviation, road, and railway transport facilities, educational institutions, shopping and entertainment centers in cities with millions of residents and smaller towns.

The offenders lived in Kyiv and Rivne region. Officially, they were temporarily unemployed. Unofficially, they had sufficient knowledge in IT and acted in a coordinated and professional manner.

In particular, they:

• sent anonymous e-mails using special software to hide their location;
• searched social networks for ‘assistants’ to involve in spreading false messages with ‘bomb threats’;
• organized encrypted chats, in which offered monetary rewards for sending anonymous messages.

The perpetrators received payment for their ‘work’ from their coordinator in russia to Ukrainian bank cards using virtual exchange points.

During the searches, investigators seized mobile phones, bank cards, and computer equipment with evidence of unlawful activity.

The SSU is verifying if the detained persons cooperated with russian special services.

The SSU cyber team has blocked all hidden accounts of the ‘anonymous’ offenders.

Currently, two members of the group have been notified of suspicion of committing a crime under Article 259.2 of the CCU (knowingly false notification about a threat to citizens’ safety, threat of destruction or damage to property).

The SSU Office in Kyiv and Kyiv Region carried out the operation under the procedural supervision of Kyiv City Prosecutor’s Office.