Authorities in Ukraine have charged a 19-year-old resident of the Poltava region with conspiracy to commit murder, allegedly orchestrated by representatives of Russian intelligence services. The charges stem from an investigation into an assassination plot targeting a member of the Ukrainian armed forces.
The young man is accused of intentionally killing a military serviceman for financial compensation, as outlined in the Ukrainian Criminal Code. According to the investigation, he received instructions via the messaging app Telegram from a Russian intelligence agent, who promised him 5,000 UAH for the task.
To execute the plan, the Russian operatives contacted the Ukrainian serviceman using a fake social media account posing as a woman. They engaged in correspondence with him and arranged to send a “gift” through postal services.
Following these communications, the suspect, having been recruited by the Russian intelligence agent, purchased a bottle of strong alcoholic beverage and, using a medical syringe, introduced a pre-prepared toxic mixture based on methadone into the bottle without damaging its packaging. This package was then sent to Zhytomyr.
Unaware of the danger, the serviceman consumed the alcohol upon receiving it at his residence. He succumbed to poisoning several days later in a hospital’s intensive care unit.
Law enforcement officials apprehended the suspect at his home in the Poltava region. He was formally charged on June 10. Currently, authorities are deliberating on a preventive measure, which may include detention. Investigative actions are ongoing to identify other individuals involved in the planning and execution of this crime.
If convicted under the charges, the suspect faces a potential life sentence with asset confiscation.
A teenager in Ukraine has been charged with conspiracy to murder a military serviceman, allegedly under the direction of Russian intelligence. The investigation reveals a complex plot involving a fake social media account and a toxic substance intended to poison the victim.