Court in Mykolaiv arrests four schoolchildren suspected of terrorist attack

According to Ukrinform, this decision was announced by the press service of the Central District Court of Mykolaiv.

"Investigating Judge Ivan Dirko reviewed the request for pre-trial detention measures against four schoolchildren, aged 14 to 17, suspected of committing a criminal offense under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 3 of Article 258 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine," the statement said.

Case materials indicate that in January 2025, a 16-year-old suspect began communicating online with Russian intelligence operatives. In exchange for financial compensation, they instructed him to manufacture and transport explosive devices, hand them over to designated individuals, and carry out bombings targeting critical infrastructure and specific persons.

The teenager then enlisted three acquaintances, and together they began constructing an improvised explosive device.

In early February 2025, following instructions from their Russian handler, they delivered the device to a 42-year-old woman from Poltava, who was also collaborating with Russian operatives.

The woman later traveled to Mykolaiv, where she brought a backpack containing the bomb to a store near a group of military personnel. Moments later, the device detonated, killing four people, including the woman herself. Seven others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

During the court hearing, the suspects admitted guilt and requested non-custodial pre-trial measures. However, the investigating judge ruled in favor of detention without the possibility of putting up bail, citing the severity of the crime, the court's press service said.

On February 14, an explosion rocked Mykolaiv. According to the Mine Action Center, the attack killed three of its servicemen: Vadym Yelisieiev, Olena Kliuchnikova, and Yevhenii Siryk.

Ukraine's National Police and SBU State Security Service apprehended the four suspects at their residences following the attack.

Photo credit: ct.mk.court.gov.ua