The SSU and the National Police have dismantled a criminal group that committed arsons in Ukraine on russia’s orders.

As a result of the special operation in Kherson, Odesa and Mykolaiv, the law enforcement agencies detained the organizer and three members of the group that was coordinated by the FSB, russia’s federal security service.

The perpetrators set fire to the vehicles belonging to Ukraine’s Defense Forces, e.g. military pickup trucks involved in combat missions.

The group’s coordinator is a former prisoner from Kherson oblast who had served a sentence for drug trafficking.

He involved his cohabitant and two other criminals whom he met while in prison.

They moved around the three cities simultaneously. First, they tracked the cars of Ukrainian military servicemen and then agreed potential targets with their russian handler.

After his approval, the arsonists came to the parking lots at night and set the vehicles on fire.

They recorded the burning with a mini-video camera and then gave the videos to the coordinator on flash drives. He was supposed to send these reports to the FSB.

The group managed to set fire to five vehicles of the Defense Forces.

The SSU apprehended the group’s leader and his partner in Odesa, and two of the arsonists in Kherson.

According to the investigation, the organizer of the criminal group came to the enemy’s attention while in prison.

After release, the man was contacted by an FSB serviceman, who offered cooperation for money.

During the searches at the suspects’ homes, a Kalashnikov rifle, a pistol with ammunition, F-1 and RGD-5 grenades, flash drives, a video camera and mobile phones with evidence of the crimes were seized.

The detainees were notified of suspicion under Articles 28.2, 114-1.1 of the CCU (obstruction of lawful activity of the AFU and other military formations during a special period, committed by a group, upon prior conspiracy).

The suspects are in custody and face up to 8 years in prison.

The operation was carried out by the SSU Offices in Kherson, Mykolaiv and Odesa regions jointly with the National Police under the procedural supervision of regional prosecutor’s offices.