In the Transbaikal Territory, a criminal case was initiated against two 16-year-old local residents on charges of preparing a terrorist act committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy, the regional Investigative Committee reported. The 'terrorist act' in this case was the setting fire to grass.
According to the investigation, in June 2025, one of the teenagers entered into correspondence with an unidentified person, presumably located in Ukraine. The unknown person offered to set the forest on fire for a reward of 80 thousand rubles. The teenager asked his friend for help.
'Having previously purchased lighters, they went to the forest area near the village of Atamanovka in the Chita district, where they set fire to dry grass and pine needles,' the Investigative Committee statement said. Authorities estimated the damage from the fire at 300 million rubles.
The teenagers recorded their actions on camera and sent it to the 'handler' as a report, but they never received the promised money.
A criminal case was initiated against the teenagers under articles on terrorism committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy, as well as on the destruction of forest plantations by arson, and the court sent them to a pre-trial detention center. 'The involvement of the teenagers in the committed crime was established during the joint work of police operatives and the FSB,' the Investigative Committee statement noted.