Russian spies sentenced to prison in Estonia
Illustrative photo: the restaurant Slava Ukraini in Tallinn was set on fire (facebook.com/Slavaresto)
In Estonia, the court found two Moldovan citizens guilty of arson of the restaurant Slava Ukraini (Glory to Ukraine). It turned out that they worked for the Russian intelligence (GRU), ERR reports.
Estonian law enforcement discovered that a Moldovan citizen, Ivan Kikhayal (born 1992), in January this year, following orders from Russian special services, set fire to a COOP store in the village of Osula in Viru County. Almost a week later, he was paid nearly 2 thousand dollars.
Soon after, the Russians tasked him with setting fire to the restaurant Slava Ukraini in Tallinn. This target was chosen because of its name and open pro-Ukrainian position.
To carry out the mission, the perpetrator involved his namesake, Ivan Kikhayal, born in 1987. On the night of January 31 this year, they committed the arson.
The elder Kikhayal broke a window, poured gasoline inside the restaurant premises, and set it on fire, while the younger filmed everything on video. A few days later, the corresponding video appeared on YouTube.
The perpetrators were detained in Italy 12 days after the arson.
The younger offender was sentenced to 6.5 years in prison, while the elder received six months and may be released as early as August.
Arson of a shopping center in Poland
Last year, unknown persons set fire to a shopping center in Warsaw.
Already this year, Polish law enforcement officers detained two Ukrainians who could have been involved in the arson. They probably acted in the interests of Russia.
