Arson attempts soar in Russia as tensions with Ukraine rise
In Russia, there has been a series of attempted arsons targeting banks, shopping centers, and public offices in recent days. Numerous videos showing fires in many locations have surfaced online. Government agencies claim that Ukrainian hackers are deceiving retirees, though Kyiv denies recruiting elderly individuals.
Many of the reports shared by Russian media and government representatives are likely not true. These reports may be part of an information war by the Russian Federation.
Residents of Russia have been feeling increasingly unsafe in recent weeks. For many months, Ukrainians have been shelling targets in the Kursk region. Recently, our eastern neighbors have become more aggressive. Cities deeper into the country, such as Kazan, which is about 500 miles from Moscow, are reportedly being attacked with drones.
The attack on General Igor Kirillov, who died following an electric scooter explosion in Moscow, has resonated worldwide. Kirillov was accused of using chemical weapons in Ukraine and developing a nuclear "dirty bomb." A citizen of Uzbekistan has been accused of the assassination, allegedly recruited by Ukraine with promises of money and entry into the European Union. Ukrainians admitted to the attack, but the situation did not end there.
According to the independent portal "Moscow Times," in Russia, over the past three days, there have been numerous arson attempts targeting banks, shopping centers, post offices, and government buildings. Up to 20 attempts have been recorded to start fires using small explosive devices or fireworks, mainly in St. Petersburg, Moscow, and the surrounding areas.
According to the government agency TASS, the individuals involved in these actions were recruited by online fraudsters, who offered them money to carry out the attacks. Surveillance video footage, shared on social media, shows some of the suspects using cell phones to film the arson attempts.
The targets of the attacks included state bank ATMs, shopping centers, post offices, military offices, police vehicles, and other administrative buildings. Sberbank, a state bank, reported a 30-percent increase in arson attempts in the past week. Most of those detained after the attempted attacks are reported to be retirees.
The Kremlin has accused Ukraine of the attacks. According to the FSB, Kyiv hackers are impersonating security service agents. They allegedly call older citizens and ask them to set fire to important facilities in exchange for money or access to blocked accounts. Kyiv has not responded to these accusations from Moscow.
