Court sentence for arson of a volunteer's vehicle
A man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for the arson of a volunteer's vehicle and a relay cabinet of "Ukrzaliznytsia" in Kyiv. A 24-year-old resident of Kyiv was found guilty of committing sabotage. The accusation was supported by the Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office.
Circumstances of the crime
In July 2025, the accused, without a permanent job, was looking for side work on Telegram. For 8300 hryvnias, he agreed to set fire to a relay cabinet of "Ukrzaliznytsia", which occurred on the section between stations in the Holosiivskyi district of Kyiv. The man filmed the arson and sent the video to his curator, receiving the promised payment.
The next task assigned to the man was to set fire to a vehicle belonging to a military personnel or displaying the symbols of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The target of the crime was a camouflage-colored Mitsubishi Pajero SUV, which was used by a volunteer for delivering humanitarian cargo. The curator promised to pay 2000 dollars for this arson. Although the accused successfully set fire to the vehicle, he did not receive payment as the client demanded a detailed report from the crime scene.
In court, the man justified his actions by stating his desire to earn 2000 dollars. The court sentence includes 15 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property.
This case highlights the threat posed by sabotage activities during wartime, particularly attacks on volunteers and the infrastructure supporting the country's defense capabilities.
The court sentence, which entails a long term of imprisonment, may serve as a warning to other potential criminals and indicates the seriousness of the state's stance towards such acts amid armed conflict.
Similar to this case, another recent incident in Kyiv involved a woman who was sentenced to nine years for her role in bombing a soldier's vehicle. Such acts of sabotage not only threaten individuals but also undermine the efforts of those supporting the military. To learn more about this alarming trend and its implications, read about the nine-year sentence for a woman convicted of attacking a soldier's vehicle.