Russian security services use vulnerable teenagers and migrants for sabotage in European countries.
This is reported in a journalistic investigation by the American magazine The New Yorker, a translation of which was published on the Foreign Ukraine website.
It concerns two young men from Kherson who, after leaving Ukraine, became drawn into the network of Russian intelligence.
The main subject of the piece was 17-year-old Danylo Bardadym. Before the full-scale war he lived in the city with his family. After the start of the Russian invasion Kherson fell under occupation, and the teenager worked for a while at a gas station.
After the city was retaken, the boy’s family moved to the small town of Haivoron near the border with Moldova. There Danylo finished 11th grade, but was dissatisfied with the earning opportunities and feared the future draft into the army after reaching adulthood.
Together with an acquaintance from Kherson, Oleksandr, who had also once worked at a gas station, the boy decided to leave Ukraine. In March 2024 they crossed the Polish border and settled in the small town of Kluczbork, where they found temporary work — unloading furniture for approximately $50 a day.
Later they were contacted by another native of Kherson — 31-year-old Serhii Chaliy. According to journalists, during the occupation of the city he traded fuel on the black market and had ties to criminal schemes, including car theft.
Chaliy invited the boys to Warsaw, promising work related to car repairs. At first he helped them with money for housing and food, but gradually began giving various tasks, including of a criminal nature — for example, to drive a stolen car over from Romania.
Later the tasks changed. Danylo was ordered to install the messenger Zangi and go to Vilnius. There a handler with the pseudonym «Q» contacted him and began giving new instructions.
At first the teenager was instructed to film the parking lot and the interior of the IKEA store, in particular the mattress department. Later he was instructed to purchase gasoline, diesel, soap and matches and to make an improvised incendiary device.
According to the investigation, in a hotel in Vilnius Danylo together with Oleksandr made an incendiary device according to detailed instructions. After that the boy placed the device in the mattress department of the IKEA store.
The device activated, however due to the fire suppression system a major fire was avoided. Damage from the incident was estimated at approximately €500,000.
Returning to Warsaw, Danylo did not receive the promised money. He was given only the BMW he had previously driven over. Due to lack of money the boys even slept in the car for some time.
Soon Danylo received a new task — to go to the Warsaw shopping center «Marywilska» and film video. On May 12, 2024, a large fire occurred at this shopping center. The boy himself claimed that he arrived after the fire had started and was only filming the aftermath.
After that the handler sent him to Vilnius to pick up a new package for an operation in Riga. However Lithuanian security services were able to track him via a GPS tracker and detained him in the country.
At the interrogation Danylo admitted his participation in the sabotage. A Lithuanian court found him guilty of committing a terrorist act as part of a terrorist group and sentenced him to three years in prison.
After the teenager’s arrest Serhii Chaliy tried to urgently leave Poland. According to the investigation, he contacted a person named «uncle Sasha», who is likely a traitor from the Kherson region Oleksandr Varyvoda — a possible coordinator of operations.
Chaliy is currently wanted internationally. Interpol has declared him wanted at the request of the Polish authorities.