Russian intelligence services have launched an increasingly recurring tactic: the use of civilians –including children and people in vulnerable situation– As involuntary instruments in explosive attacks.
One of the most shocking cases occurred on February 14 in the city of Mykolaiv, when a woman placed a bag in front of a group of Ukrainian soldiers. What seemed an innocent delivery ended in tragedy: the package contained a pump that was activated at a distance, killing the woman and three military. According to the investigation, she was not aware of the explosive content and had been manipulated through the social network of Telegram, believing that she only transported money.
The bomb, as revealed by the Ukrainian security services, had been mounted by a group of young people, guided step by step by Russian agents. The pattern has been repeated in several regions of the country, especially in areas far from the battle front. In March, two teenagers were also victims of a similar operation in Ivano-Frankivsk, after accepting an offer by “Easy money” without knowing that they would be sacrificed in a remote attack.
Ukrainian authorities have identified a systematic tendency: Russian secret services They recruit young people through digital platforms, offering them rewards for seemingly harmless tasks, such as leaving a package in a specific place. Often, recruits do not know that they transport explosives. In some cases, manipulation includes intimidation or blackmail, as happened with a child under 14 years in Ternopil, whom they threatened to disseminate private content if it did not collaborate.
These acts, which have already left dozens of dead and injured, have led Ukrainian security forces to launch awareness campaigns in schools, alerting students about the risks of suspicious contacts on social networks. Under the motto “Burn the FSB officer” —In reference to the Russian Secret Service, “you try to prevent more young people from falling into these traps.”
Experts compare these tactics with those employed by organizations such as Al Qaeda or the Islamic State. “This is a brutal and extremely effective strategy to sow chaos“, explains Liubov Tsybulska, specialist in hybrid war.” Russian agents do not hesitate to use the most vulnerable such as cannon fodder. “
These attacks also seek to exacerbate internal tensions within Ukraine. Many of the whites have been military recruitment centers, in an attempt to enliven the discontent between the population regarding the forced mobilization of men of military age. According to the head of the National Police of Ukraine, Ivan Vyhivskyi, the goal is “Create a false narrative to destabilize the country from within. “
The threat is not limited to Ukraine. In countries such as the United Kingdom and Germany, networks linked to Kremlin have promoted acts of sabotage and incitement to hate, seeking to weaken European support to Ukraine. According to Western intelligence agencies, behind many of these operations is the Unit 29155 of Gruan elite group responsible for covert operations in Europe during the last decade.
