By The war between Russia and Ukraine has entered its third year. A disturbing pattern has become clear. Russia is not only fighting on the battlefield. It is also using online tools to recruit Ukrainians to carry out attacks against their own people, military targets, and infrastructure.
This campaign targets the most vulnerable. Adults struggling with poverty, people with addictions, and even children are being drawn in. Many recruits do not know they are helping Russia. They believe they are doing small jobs for money or favors. Others only realize the truth after being arrested or injured.
This article explains how the recruitment works, who is targeted, what tasks are given, and how Ukraine is trying to stop it.
1. What Is This Recruitment Campaign?
Russian intelligence services, mainly the FSB, are running a wide recruitment effort inside Ukraine. They use social media, messaging apps, and fake profiles to contact people.
Recruiters often pretend to be trusted figures. Some claim to be officers from Ukraine’s own security service. Once trust is built, they give instructions and promise money, protection, or future work.
At first, the tasks seem small. Setting fire to a car. Delivering a package. Taking photos. But in many cases, these acts lead to serious crimes like bomb attacks or murder.
2. Who Is Being Recruited?
2.1 Vulnerable Adults
Many recruits are adults facing financial stress. The war has damaged Ukraine’s economy. Jobs are limited. Prices are high.
Recruiters exploit this hardship. They promise quick cash for simple tasks. Some recruits believe they are helping Ukraine or working for a legal group. Others only care about the money.
Once caught, these people face long prison sentences. The money promised is often never paid.
2.2 Children and Teenagers
One of the most alarming parts of this campaign is the recruitment of minors.
A large share of those arrested are under 18. Some are as young as 11 or 12. Teenagers are contacted through social media platforms and chat groups where young people look for work or friends.
Children are easy to deceive. They are told to carry boxes, take photos, or burn vehicles. Many do not understand the danger or the legal risk. Some have been seriously injured or killed when bombs exploded during delivery.
3. How Recruiters Approach Their Targets
3.1 Social Media and Messaging Apps
Recruitment often begins on messaging apps like Telegram or through social networks. Fake profiles offer jobs or friendship. Some approach people through dating apps.
Young people looking for money are common targets. Recruiters study profiles and choose those who seem lonely or desperate.
3.2 Fake Authority and Trust Building
A common trick is pretending to work for Ukrainian authorities. This gives the recruiter instant trust.
After days or weeks of conversation, the target is asked to complete a task. The recruiter claims it is legal or patriotic.
3.3 Money and Rewards
Cash is the main lure. Offers may range from small amounts to thousands of dollars. In many cases, the recruit never receives payment.
The goal is not payment. The goal is damage.
4. What Tasks Are Recruits Given?
4.1 Arson Attacks
Many recruits are told to burn vehicles or buildings believed to belong to the military. Some targets are actually civilian property.
In several cases, teenagers set fire to cars with camouflage paint. They were told the vehicles belonged to soldiers.
4.2 Bomb Delivery
Some recruits are tricked into delivering explosive devices. They are told the package is harmless.
In one case, a woman carried a box into a building while speaking on the phone with her handler. The bomb exploded, killing her and injuring others.
Other recruits were forced to film their movements live while handlers watched and triggered explosions remotely.
4.3 Spying and Surveillance
Some people are ordered to photograph military buildings, checkpoints, or equipment. These images are later used to plan attacks.
4.4 Recruiting Others
In rare cases, recruits are asked to find more people. They are turned into middlemen without realizing they are expanding a terrorist network.
5. Why Russia Uses This Strategy
This method is cheap and effective. It creates fear inside Ukraine. It damages trust within communities.
Russia also benefits from using Ukrainians instead of its own agents. If a recruit is caught, Moscow denies responsibility.
Economic hardship makes recruitment easier. Desperation lowers judgment. Social media makes contact simple and fast.
6. Ukraine’s Response
Ukraine’s security services are fighting back. Awareness campaigns warn young people about online recruitment.
Schools receive lectures on digital safety. Chatbots and hotlines allow people to report suspicious messages.
Law enforcement has arrested hundreds of people involved in these acts. Laws have been tightened. Even minors face serious consequences.
Authorities say reporting suspicious contacts early can save lives.
7. The Human Cost
This campaign leaves deep scars. Families lose loved ones. Children face prison or trauma. Communities live in fear.
Activists, soldiers, and civilians have been killed by attacks carried out by fellow Ukrainians under foreign control.
The war is not only fought with weapons. It is fought in phones, messages, and minds.
