Two teenagers from Russia's Krasnodar region, including one minor, have been arrested and are facing criminal charges for allegedly preparing a terrorist attack. According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, which cited reports from the Russian Investigative Committee, the suspects were planning to detonate an explosive device at an administrative building in the city of Tuapse.
According to case files, an 18-year-old resident of the Kuban region began communicating with a member of a terrorist organization via social media in March. The recruiter offered the teenager between $300 and $500 to construct an improvised explosive device, prompting the suspect to enlist a 17-year-old acquaintance to assist with the plot.
The Investigative Committee alleges that, acting under the recruiter's instructions, the teenagers conducted surveillance on a military facility, documenting security measures and the placement of video surveillance cameras. Following these actions, a payment of $30 was transferred to one of the suspects' accounts.
The plot was thwarted by officers from the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). The suspects have been charged under Article 205, Part 2, Clause "a" and Article 30, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. During interrogations, the teenagers reportedly confessed to the charges, and a court has ordered them to be held in a pre-trial detention center.
This incident highlights the growing concern regarding the recruitment of minors by extremist groups through digital platforms. Security agencies globally have increasingly warned about the use of social media and encrypted messaging apps to radicalize young individuals and incite them to commit acts of violence against critical infrastructure.
