Russian FSB Recruiting Ukrainian Teenagers Through Messaging Apps
On June 30, 2025, reports indicate that the Russian FSB is increasingly utilizing popular messaging platforms, particularly Telegram, to recruit Ukrainian teenagers with enticing offers of quick financial gain, reports 24brussels. According to Ukrainian officials, the aggressors primarily target orphans and displaced individuals affected by the conflict who face financial hardships or desire new devices.
Officials state that the aggressor state is “turning Ukrainian teenagers into weapons of war against their own people.” Artur Dekhtiarenko, spokesperson for the SBU, confirmed that over 700 teenagers have been arrested since spring 2024 for involvement in espionage, arson, and bombings on behalf of Russian intelligence. Of these, approximately 175 individuals, or 25%, are under 18 years of age. While most were knowingly engaged in espionage, there were instances of deception.
“Minors cannot foresee the consequences of their actions, making them especially vulnerable to recruitment by Russia,” Dekhtiarenko explained. “The campaign began in the spring of last year with tasks involving arson of vehicles and power substations along the railway. They then refined their strategy to target military enlistment offices.” By early 2025, reports indicate they began using Ukrainians as suicide bombers.
The recruitment methods follow standard patterns:
- Anonymity is used to contact potential recruits through Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, or Viber, offering easy and quick earnings;
- Coordinators, having established contact with targets, send them instructions and negotiate payment for their “work,” which varies from $100 to $1,000 depending on the task;
- Initially, recruits are tasked with photographing military sites or air defense systems, before being tasked with bomb placements in vehicles or arson of energy infrastructure;
- Some coordinators utilize quests—games akin to treasure hunts—to entice children, promising cash rewards. Recruits are provided with geolocation by the FSB, then ordered to reach specific locations, take photos and videos of designated sites, and report on the area;
- In another recruitment tactic, Russian agents pose as Ukrainian officials, deceiving children, applying pressure, and coerced into sabotage acts or cyberattacks on behalf of Ukraine.
