According to Russian media reports, banks, shopping centers, post offices and administrative buildings have been victims of a wave of arson attempts since Friday December 20. For the authorities in Moscow, these acts of “ vandalism » are sponsored by the Ukrainian authorities.
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With our correspondent in Moscow, Jean-Didier Revoin
These are isolated individuals who currently act mainly to Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as in their respective suburbs. The authorities have so far counted around twenty cases since Friday.
Separate individuals attempted to set off small explosive devices or throw fireworks at buildings. State-owned bank ATMs, shopping malls, post offices, military recruitment offices, police vehicles and other administrative buildings were targeted. CCTV footage even appears to show individuals filming the fires they were trying to start with their mobile phones.
Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank, reported that over the past week the increase in arson attempts reached 30%. Most of those arrested are retirees who are believed to have been recruited by people in Ukraine, according to Russian authorities.
Russian intelligence services (FSB) had already warned Russians that Ukrainian fraudsters posing as security officers had called elderly people asking them to carry out the arson attacks. This in exchange for money or to regain access to blocked accounts. Accusations to which kyiv has not reacted.
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