Ukraine Arrests 2 Middle Eastern Men for Sabotaging Substation in Chernivtsi

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced on Tuesday the arrest of two Middle Eastern men for setting a substation on fire in Chernivtsi, a region in western Ukraine near Romania. The SBU did not disclose the suspects' specific nationalities. According to the SBU press release, the two were recruited by Russian intelligence through social media platforms, as this is a common method for Moscow-backed sabotage operations in Ukraine.

The suspects arrived in Chernivtsi in early August to conduct reconnaissance of the substation site before dousing it with gasoline and igniting the blaze. They were apprehended within 24 hours of the arson. The SBU stated that the suspects entered the regional center in early August, surveyed the energy facility, identified potential entry points, doused the transformers and surrounding area with gasoline, and subsequently set them ablaze and fled the scene.

The two suspects were formally notified of suspicion in connection with the completed sabotage attempt, which allegedly involved a group of individuals acting under a pre-arranged conspiracy during martial law. They are currently held without bail and face life imprisonment if convicted. While Moscow-backed arson cases are relatively uncommon in Ukraine, with most involving local individuals motivated by financial gain, the use of foreign nationals is relatively rare.

One similar case occurred in December 2025 when the SBU arrested two men from an unspecified neighboring European country, also recruited by Russian intelligence to commit arson and other subversive activities in Chernivtsi. In November, the SBU announced the arrest of an Eastern European spy tasked by Russia to set fire to military vehicles in the Kyiv region.

Another high-profile espionage case involves the arrest of Ross David Cutmore, a British national who arrived in Ukraine as a military trainer.