In Kharkiv region, FSB recruited teenagers through a game in the Telegram messenger

In Kharkiv Region, teenagers were recruited by Russian special services through a quest game on Telegram. They were detained while they were photographing Ukrainian air defense facilities.

This was reported by the press service of the National Police on Friday, December 13.

Recruitment via Telegram

The police noted that teenagers aged 15 and 16 received tasks from curators from the Russian Federation via the Telegram channel, which consisted of conducting reconnaissance, adjusting strikes and setting fires in the Kharkiv region. 

“They did all this under the guise of quest games that were developed by Russian special services to involve Ukrainian teenagers in criminal activity in favor of Russia,” — the message says.

Law enforcement officers explain that according to the rules of the “quest”, children received from the curators the geolocations of certain objects,  which they had to photograph and videotape, as well as describe the surrounding area. They then passed this content on to Russian intelligence services.

“All members of the enemy groups were detained while they were photographing Ukrainian air defense facilities. One of the active members was reported as suspicious. The suspect is in custody. He faces life imprisonment,” — the police concluded.