MOSCOW, June 26. /TASS/. A minor who had created and run one of the largest international online communities linked to terrorist organizations has been detained in Dagestan, having recruited teenagers in coordination with Ukrainian special services to attack schools, carry out terrorist attacks, and spread false reports about bombing threats at facilities, the Public Relations Center of the Federal Security Service (FSB) reported.
TASS has compiled key information available at this stage.
Detention
- The FSB, together with the Interior Ministry and the Investigative Committee, detained a minor Russian citizen who founded and administered one of the largest international online networks of supporters of terrorist organizations, the Public Relations Center said.
- According to the FSB, the detainee’s activity was directed and coordinated by Ukrainian special services.
- It was aimed at recruiting Russian teenagers to carry out armed attacks on educational institutions, terrorist attacks on transport infrastructure, and to spread false reports about bombing threats targeting public facilities, the FSB reported.
- At least three Ukrainian citizens participated in these activities.
- The FSB noted that the detainee’s involvement in organizing at least 15 terrorist crimes across ten Russian regions has been confirmed.
- All perpetrators have been detained, and procedural decisions have been taken, the FSB said.
- According to the Public Relations Center, the criminal activity was financed by Ukrainian special services and operatives.
- Additional rewards were promised for murders with the highest number of victims, the FSB reported.
- At the time of detention, the minor administered online resources promoting terrorist ideology with an audience of over 200,000 users, of whom about 5,000 were active participants.
Activities in the US and Europe
- The detainee and his Ukrainian handlers did not limit their activity to Russia, but expanded it to other countries worldwide.
- In 2025-2026, community members organized arson attacks and damage to more than 20 civilian vehicles and a Christian church, and spread false reports about bomb threats against educational institutions and public facilities in various US cities and European countries, the FSB reported.
- At the same time, terrorist activity in the US and Europe was coordinated by Ukrainian agents.
- As a result of the operation, the detainee’s accomplices in Russia, the US, and Europe have been identified.
Charges
- The minor has been charged with preparing mass killings of schoolchildren (Part 1 of Article 30, Part 2 of Article 105 of the Russian Criminal Code), Investigative Committee representative Svetlana Petrenko said.
- He is currently in custody.
- Petrenko emphasized that the criminal activity was overseen by Ukrainian special services and aimed at recruiting Russian teenagers to carry out attacks on schools with the intent of mass killings, as well as spreading false reports about bombing threats targeting public facilities.
- She noted that at least three Ukrainian citizens, as well as accomplices from other countries linked to Ukrainian special services, were involved in administering the online network together with the detainee.
Confession
- During interrogation, the minor confirmed involvement in preparing an attack on students at a Domodedovo school, which was prevented, Petrenko said.
- The detainee also described other incidents in the Moscow Region, St. Petersburg, Orenburg, Krasnoyarsk, Lipetsk, Kaluga, the Stavropol Region, and the Republic of Buryatia.
- According to video provided to TASS by the FSB Public Relations Center, he said the organization promoted the Columbine movement (declared terrorist and banned in Russia), its ideology in Russian cities, and mass killings.
- He also stated that he managed the network and communicated with its members.
- According to the detainee, it was initially declared a terrorist structure so that he and his associates could gain notoriety.
- He said agents and operatives of the Security Service of Ukraine supervised the process.
- In a video published by the Investigative Committee, the detainee stated that members of the network had committed arson in Texas, California, Germany, and Italy.
- According to him, "in January 2026, one of the organization’s members committed bullying and five acts of arson in the state of Texas in the US."
- Later that month, all schools in Texas were evacuated.
- He added that in February, associates in the US committed two acts of arson in California, with schools also evacuated due to false bomb threat reports.
- In March 2026, two acts of arson were carried out in Germany and two in Italy.
- The detainee also said the group had been spreading false bomb threat reports targeting schools since 2023.
Appeals and reminders from FSB and Investigative Committee
- The FSB urged all those involved in terrorist activity to abandon it voluntarily, which could allow them to avoid criminal liability.
- The Investigative Committee reiterated that terrorist crimes carry criminal responsibility, including life imprisonment.