Kharkiv scientist made homemade explosives for a terrorist attack on orders from the Russian Federation — court issued a verdict
In Kharkiv, a court found the head of a laboratory at one of the local universities guilty of treason, manufacturing explosive devices, and aiding in the preparation of a terrorist act. The man was sentenced to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property.
According to the Kharkiv regional prosecutor’s office, in January 2025 the man began communicating via Telegram with a representative of the Russian special services. According to the investigation, he agreed to cooperate with the enemy in exchange for money and assistance in traveling to temporarily occupied Hartsyzk in Donetsk region, where his mother lives.
Under the instructions of the Russian handler, the Kharkiv resident was to manufacture explosive devices and provide information about Ukrainian military personnel. He purchased the necessary components and created three homemade explosive devices in his university office.
To increase the damage, the devices were equipped with metal elements — nails, self-tapping screws, bolts, and nuts. The explosives were hidden in volleyball ball cases, a thermos, and polymer pipes, after which he left them in designated places in Kharkiv.
According to the plan of the Russian special services, the devices were to be collected by an executor to carry out a terrorist attack at one of the police units.
Additionally, the convicted man gathered information about Kharkiv universities. He recorded objects on video, noted coordinates, and sent reports to the Russian handler about possible locations of Ukrainian military personnel and equipment.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the man received 16,000 hryvnias from the Russian representative for completing the tasks.
In June 2025, law enforcement detained him while attempting to plant another explosive device near a residential complex in Kharkiv. The explosives were seized and neutralized by specialists.
In court, the accused admitted his involvement in the crimes.
He was found guilty under articles concerning treason during martial law, illegal manufacture and storage of explosives, as well as aiding in the preparation of a terrorist act.
The pre-trial investigation was conducted by employees of the Security Service of Ukraine in the Kharkiv region. The court sentenced him to 15 years imprisonment with confiscation of property.
As previously reported by the "Judicial and Legal Newspaper", in Kharkiv law enforcement detained a 25-year-old man and his 15-year-old partner suspected of cooperating with the Russian special services and preparing a terrorist attack. According to the investigation, the couple gathered information about servicemen of the Defense Forces of Ukraine and planned to manufacture an explosive device.
According to the Kharkiv regional prosecutor’s office, the suspects were remotely recruited via a Telegram channel offering "easy earnings." Under the instructions of the Russian special services representative, they rented a house where a charity event was to take place.
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