In Khmelnytskyi, a court ordered a man who set fire to a military vehicle to read a patriotic book.

The Khmelnytskyi city district court has issued a verdict for a 17-year-old resident of Vinnytsia who, at the behest of Russians, set fire to a vehicle belonging to a Ukrainian Armed Forces serviceman. The teenager admitted his guilt and expressed remorse, leading to a conditional sentence and an obligation to read the book “With Ukraine in Heart: A Patriotic Reader.”

According to the verdict dated January 28, the 17-year-old was conducting the arson alongside his accomplice – a 27-year-old local man who had been recruited by representatives of Russian special services through one of the messaging apps. They promised the man $2,000 to be transferred to his cryptocurrency wallet for each vehicle he destroyed belonging to military personnel. The teenager was to receive 10% of the total amount – $200 as a reward.

In August 2024, the Vinnytsia residents arrived by train in Khmelnytskyi and settled into a previously rented apartment. On the evening of September 1, they set fire to a Hyundai Santa Fe that belonged to a serviceman.

“The perpetrators did not receive any payment for their actions. They were apprehended while filming the burning vehicle, which had been provided to a serviceman by one of the charitable foundations,” police reported.

Law enforcement also discovered that the two residents of the Vinnytsia region had planned to continue their series of arsons in western Ukraine.

The 17-year-old defendant admitted his guilt and expressed remorse. It is known that the boy is under parental care.

Judge Rostyslav Lun acknowledged the teenager's guilt under part 2 of Article 28, part 1 of Article 114-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (obstruction of the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, committed in conspiracy), but exempted him from the main punishment and imposed a two-year probation period. Additionally, the defendant is required to read the book “With Ukraine in Heart: A Patriotic Reader.” The decision can still be appealed in the appellate court.