Molotov attack for cash?
16-year-olds allegedly attacked Russian military helicopter
24.09.2024, 21:44
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Two Russian teenagers are said to have entered a military base in Siberia and then thrown a Molotov cocktail at a military helicopter. Their own statements, published in a video, raise questions about the possible backers.
Two Russian teenagers have been arrested in Siberia for allegedly setting fire to a military helicopter. The responsible court in the city of Omsk has ordered two months’ pre-trial detention for the two 16-year-olds, who are accused of a “terrorist act,” the court’s press office said via Telegram. If convicted, the two face up to 20 years in prison.
According to a report from a Telegram channel close to the authorities, the two students entered a military base on Saturday and threw a Molotov cocktail at an MI-8 helicopter. They were recruited for the crime on Telegram, the young people said in a video published on the online service. They were promised the equivalent of 18,000 euros for it. The identity of the person who commissioned the attack has not yet been revealed.
Same pattern as previous incidents?
This month, two other Russian teenagers, aged 13 and 14, were arrested for setting fire to a civilian helicopter in the Siberian region of Tyumen. They also said they had been recruited online with promises of financial rewards.
Since the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine in February 2022, numerous Russians have been arrested on suspicion of preparing or committing acts of sabotage. Prosecutors accuse Ukraine of ordering some of these attacks.