Ukraine Warns Teenagers the Enemy Is Inside Their Phones

[MsAmerica]

Ukraine Warns Teenagers the Enemy Is Inside Their Phones
Ukraine’s security service is holding classes at high schools to alert teenagers of Russian efforts to recruit them.
By Kim Barker

The course, introduced this spring by Ukraine’s top internal security agency and the national police at high schools nationwide, aims to deter teenagers from falling under the influence of Russian operatives. They have started paying Ukrainian minors to set fires or plant homemade bombs, Ukrainian authorities say.

“I remind you that criminal responsibility in Ukraine begins at 14 years of age,” said the camouflaged man at the presentation on a recent Wednesday. “Unfortunately, this easy money can lead either to criminal liability or to death.”...

In March, in the case that resonated the most with the students, a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old recruited on Telegram in the Western city of Ivano-Frankivsk with the promise of $1,700, the Ukrainian authorities said. Following instructions, the teenagers built two bombs out of thermos flasks and metal nuts. When they tried to deliver one of the bombs, the authorities said, Russian agents detonated it remotely near the train station. The 17-year-old was killed, and the 15-year-old lost his legs...

Ms. Yavorska-Isaienko and the camouflaged man told the students they could anonymously report any recruitment attempts to a new chatbot called “Expose the F.S.B. Agent.” And Ms. Yavorska-Isaienko told the students to use their common sense.

“No one in real life will suddenly offer you $1,000 or $2,000 just like that,” she said. “You need to understand: The only free cheese is in the mousetrap.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/21/world/europe/ukraine-russia-teenagers-sabotage.html

https://dnyuz.com/2025/06/21/ukraine-warns-teenagers-the-enemy-is-inside-their-phones/

However, this is true of any propaganda; for example, in the early days with figures like Edward Bernays, the public has always been vulnerable to its influence.

Okay, but surely you can't make any rational comparison with 1930s propaganda, which was not only pre-internet but even pre-television, and the way online probes insinuate into our lives? Not to mention that this isn't even propaganda in the traditional sense.

I recently read that Russia was using suicide bombers. So I could see how all citizens are at risk.

different tech but still the same infomation etc

correction : This campaign is not traditional propaganda it’s more akin to public safety education. It’s based on real threats and aims to protect minors from manipulation, not to spread ideology or misinformation.

I did see the article in the Guardian this week.
It is rather sad that these teens would even consider planting devices around any location, just for some money. Total lack of common sense and despair. Quite a bit of despair, as they are in dire need of money indeed.
We are living in a backwards world, bringing back all the old war and dirty tricks in the book. Plus drones and hypersonic missiles and hacking.
I hope the Ukranian efgorys work and they stop these senseless attacks aided by their own. The end of this war is well overdue.

I live in the Netherlands. It's a massive problem here. Kids from poor neighbourhoods get paid to leave bombs outside people's houses or to get drugs out of shipping containers. The kids are basically disposable. I guess it's the same with county lines. Some kids will do anything for £500 and a blingy watch, but don't realise that death or prison and a criminal record is worth a lot more to adults

Omigod, how awful.