Elderly Russians Forced into Arson by Ukrainian Phone Scammers

russia - A wave of arson attacks in Russia linked to vulnerable elderly individuals coerced by Ukrainian scammers.

Arson Wave in Russia

In recent times, Russia has been experiencing a surge in arson attacks. Surveillance footage in St. Petersburg shows an elderly Russian woman setting fire to an ATM in a bank, part of a disturbing trend. The motive behind these incidents has been revealed to be coercion by Ukrainian phone scammers targeting the elderly.

The scammers, posing as Russian security agents, prey on elderly individuals, leveraging their fear of authorities. These vulnerable targets, often unable to verify caller identities due to outdated phones, are manipulated into committing arson under false pretenses of evading criminal investigations.

The scammers, operating from shadowy call centers in Ukraine, instill fear and pressure the victims into destructive acts, claiming dire consequences for non-compliance. In some cases, they coerce financial transactions or personal data disclosures.

Speculations arise regarding potential ties of some scammers to Ukrainian government agendas, with suspicions of intelligence agency involvement in the arson attacks escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Despite Ukraine's denial of involvement, the situation fuels internal conflict within Russia.