Ukrainian police detain teen in plot to kill soldiers with methadone

Ukrainian police detained a 17-year-old girl on Friday who is suspected of working with Russian security services to poison military personnel. Two soldiers have died in the operation, which took place in Zhytomyr, a city located west of the capital Kyiv.

Authorities stated that the suspect followed directions from a Russian handler. She was promised a payment of at least 5,000 hryvnias, roughly $111, for her role in the scheme. The police report indicates she contacted soldiers via the messaging app Telegram to arrange the delivery of the packages.

The suspect packaged the drugs and sent them to the troops. The recipients were told the parcels contained free medication and were instructed to ingest the contents while on camera. Police said the soldiers did not know the capsules held a lethal dose of methadone.

Investigators confirmed that two soldiers in the Zhytomyr region died from the poisoning. They identified other individuals who received similar packages, an action that prevented four additional murders across Ukraine.

The teenager has been formally charged with aiding and abetting the premeditated murder of two people as part of a prior conspiracy. She also faces charges for shipping drugs and psychotropic substances for distribution. If found guilty, she faces a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.

Police warned that Moscow intends to kill Ukrainian citizens and destabilize the internal situation. They urged the public to avoid accepting food, drinks, or medication from people they do not know well. This case is part of a pattern of allegations regarding the use of minors in sabotage operations since the war began in 2022.

Ukrainian officials have opened thousands of investigations into collaboration with Russia. Similar incidents occurred in 2023, including the poisoning of the wife of Kyrylo Budanov, then head of military intelligence, and a Russian journalist in Paris. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told The Sun that he has survived five or six assassination attempts since the invasion.