Money, Telegram and arson: a minor destroyed three servicemen’s cars in the Korabelnyi district

The Korablev District Court of Mykolaiv on September 4, 2026 sentenced a minor who was found guilty of intentionally destroying or damaging another’s property by arson. The corresponding verdict was published in the Unified State Register of Court Decisions.

As the court established, no later than October 13, 2025 the minor began corresponding on Telegram with an unidentified person who offered him, for monetary reward, to carry out tasks aimed at obstructing the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations. The boy agreed. According to the case materials, he searched for vehicles that by outward appearance could belong to servicemen, prepared a flammable mixture, purchased means for arson, and recorded the ignition process on his own Blackview A96 phone. The verdict states that the money for completed tasks was to be transferred to him via cryptocurrency. The identity of the contractor, with whom the minor communicated on Telegram under a certain account, was not established in this case. A separate investigation regarding that person is ongoing.

First arson — Nissan X-Trail

The first vehicle was set on fire by the minor on the night of October 13, 2025. It was a Nissan X-Trail T30 with green camouflage paint. The vehicle was used by a serviceman and was used to perform official tasks in the combat zone.

Before the arson the boy informed the contractor on Telegram that he had found the required vehicle. He then applied the flammable mixture to the front of the car, the roof and the area of the air intake, and then set it on fire. He was simultaneously recording video.

According to the expert’s conclusion, the market value of the Nissan X-Trail in working condition was 129,284.70 hryvnias. Experts from the State Emergency Service determined that the cause of the fire was arson.

Second vehicle — Ford Transit Custom

The second arson occurred on October 27, 2025. This time the boy chose a Ford Transit Custom which belonged to a military unit and was used by servicemen while performing official tasks in the combat zone.

As the court found, the minor also prepared a flammable mixture in advance, approached the vehicle and began recording his actions on the phone. He applied the mixture in the area of the windshield, the air intake and the engine compartment, after which he set the vehicle on fire.

The market value of this vehicle was 1.449 million hryvnias, and the amount of material damage determined by the examination was 1,440,855.80 hryvnias. During the on-site inspection they also found a polymer case with a Mavic 3-T drone, which was transferred to responsible storage.

Third arson — Nissan Terrano

On November 5, 2025 the minor set fire to another vehicle — a Nissan Terrano with camouflage paint. The vehicle was used by servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine during combat operations. According to the court, before the arson the boy again informed the contractor on Telegram about the found vehicle, after which he applied the flammable mixture in the area of the air intake and set it on fire. For this incident, as stated in the provided information, he had not yet received the reward.

After the third arson police officers identified the minor. During questioning he admitted his involvement in the arson of the Nissan Terrano, after which he was detained.

The boy’s Blackview A96 phone Blackview A96, clothing, bank cards and other items were seized. The phone contained video recordings of the arsons. The court also examined mobile operator data.

An important piece of evidence was the investigative experiment of March 13, 2026. During it, in the presence of his legal representative and defender, the minor voluntarily showed the locations where he set fire to all three vehicles — on Metalurhiv, Novobudivna and Rybna streets in Mykolaiv.

The court noted that the examined evidence is consistent and contains no significant contradictions, therefore it found the defendant’s guilt proven. His actions in three episodes were qualified under Part 2 of Article 194 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — intentional destruction or damage of another’s property by arson.

The court established that the minor already had a prior conviction. On September 25, 2025 the Inhulskyi District Court of Mykolaiv sentenced him to 5 years of imprisonment for crimes under Part 2 of Article 113 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — sabotage committed under martial law. At the same time, he was released from serving the sentence and given a probation period of 2 years. He committed the new arsons during this probationary period.

For the three arsons the Korablev District Court sentenced the minor to 5 years of imprisonment. However, taking into account the previous verdict, the court partially added the unserved sentence and determined the final term — 6 years of imprisonment. The period of his prior detention — from November 6, 2025 until the day before the verdict is brought into execution — is also counted toward the sentence.

In addition, the court granted the claim for compensation of material damage and ordered the minor to pay 1.449 million hryvnias to the benefit of the military unit. He must also pay 98,522 hryvnias for the costs of the examinations. Until the verdict comes into legal force, the preventive measure in the form of detention remains in effect.