The BBC has gone undercover on Telegram to investigate how Ukrainians are being offered thousands of dollars to stage arson attacks and bombings against their own country.
Ukraine has accused Russia of using Telegram - and in some cases TikTok or even video game platforms - to recruit teenagers and children as young as 11 to carry out sabotage.
Using a burner phone and an alias, BBC Trending contacted Telegram channels and accounts which offer a sliding scale of payments depending on the target. These ranged from $1,500 for setting fire to a post office to $3,000 for a bank. Payment, either in cryptocurrency or via bank transfer, was promised in return for video proof of arson. An 18-year-old, who is awaiting trial on terrorism charges, told the BBC he was promised $2,000 to plant a bomb in a van used by the conscription service, but the attack was foiled.
Read more👀: bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…
Listen 🎧: bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3c…
Ukraine has accused Russia of using Telegram - and in some cases TikTok or even video game platforms - to recruit teenagers and children as young as 11 to carry out sabotage.
Using a burner phone and an alias, BBC Trending contacted Telegram channels and accounts which offer a sliding scale of payments depending on the target. These ranged from $1,500 for setting fire to a post office to $3,000 for a bank. Payment, either in cryptocurrency or via bank transfer, was promised in return for video proof of arson. An 18-year-old, who is awaiting trial on terrorism charges, told the BBC he was promised $2,000 to plant a bomb in a van used by the conscription service, but the attack was foiled.
Read more👀: bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…
Listen 🎧: bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3c…
