Russia's false flag tactics exposed: Ukrainians pressured into sabotage

The Russians often say they are Ukrainian law enforcement officers and, under various pretexts, are forcing Ukrainians to prepare arson attacks, terrorist acts, and sabotage.

The SBU warned that Russian special services:

• call or write to citizens under the guise of employees of the SBU, HUR, NABU, the National Police, and other law enforcement agencies;
• use dating sites to obtain personal data;
• blackmail with criminal liability;
• demand money allegedly to close fake criminal proceedings;
• induce people to set fire to administrative buildings, cars of Ukrainian defenders, etc.

For example, Russians create fake female accounts on dating sites, after which they communicate with men and extract their personal data.

Later, Russian handlers contact them under the guise of “SBU officers” and accuse them of allegedly cooperating with Russia. To “avoid liability,” the men are offered cooperation.

Illegal actions of recruited citizens

Ukrainians recruited in this way are forced to commit various illegal acts: to surveil a certain person, deliver a package to a specified address, purchase chemical components and build an improvised explosive device, set fire to Defense Forces vehicles or administrative buildings, prepare a terrorist attack or sabotage at a specific facility, etc.

Detention of Russian agents

A minor was detained recently in Kropyvnytskyi, who is suspected of adjusting Russian strikes on energy infrastructure. She was supposed to install a GPS tracker disguised under snow on the territory of the Kropyvnytskyi power plant.

Earlier, a court sentenced a Russian agent who tried to direct a drone attack on the energy facilities of the Rivne NPP. The man installed GPS trackers on high-voltage power transmission lines and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.