The 2nd Western District Military Court sentenced five defendants in an attempt to set fire to equipment at a military base in the Moscow region's Balashikha, reports TASS citing a source in law enforcement agencies.
Four defendants were sentenced to terms from 16 to 19 years in prison, the youngest defendant was sentenced to four years in a colony. In March last year, all five were added to the Rosfinmonitoring registry of 'terrorists and extremists'.
According to Avtozak Live, according to the investigation, in the fall of 2021, five teenagers joined a Telegram chat where they discussed politics, their views, and 'partisan activities'. One of the chat participants turned out to be an FSB agent who joined it back in 2021, and he sent conversations and recordings. Later, a 15-year-old teenager joined the 'community'.
Avtozak Live specifies that one of the defendants, 21-year-old Anton Khripko, was sentenced to 19 years in prison on charges of involving a minor in a crime, organizing a terrorist community, and involvement in committing a terrorist act.
According to TASS, 'the defendants developed a plan for sabotage and escape routes, and also brought tools in advance to the military base in Balashikha to dig a tunnel'. According to law enforcement, the defendants planned to blow up equipment and set it on fire. In addition, their case includes an episode with the arson of a medical vehicle of one of the Russian state structures. At the moment when the perpetrators set the fire, the vehicle contained oxygen tanks, reported the state agency.
As noted by 'Mediazona'*, at the end of February 2025, Anton Khripko's brother, 24-year-old Ivan, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges of treason, manufacturing explosives, training in sabotage activities, and attempted sabotage.
* Recognized as a 'foreign agent' in Russia.