Russia: affected by a mysterious wave of arson attempts, Moscow accuses Ukraine

Banks, shopping centers, government buildings… Several Russian cities are the scene of attempted arson attacks. Since Friday December 20, around twenty have been registered, targeting buildings located mainly in the areas of Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

Individuals throw small explosive devices or fireworks at different buildings in order to set them on fire. These people were allegedly recruited by online fraudsters in exchange for money according to an anonymous source from the Russian news agency TASS. Bank ATMs, post offices, military recruitment offices and even police vehicles were targeted.

For the Russian security services (FSB), the fraudsters are Ukrainian and operate from their country. For the moment, kyiv has not reacted to these accusations.

Since the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, arson attacks caused by Molotov cocktails have affected several Russian army recruitment offices. These attacks increased after Vladimir Putin announced a conscription campaign in September 2022. More than 300,000 Russians were forcibly conscripted to fight in Ukraine, making this measure very unpopular.