Ukrainian Police Detain Teen in Methadone Plot That Killed Two Soldiers

Ukrainian police detained a 17-year-old girl on Friday for her role in a scheme that allegedly poisoned two soldiers using methadone.

The arrest took place in Zhytomyr, a city located west of the capital Kyiv. Investigators say the suspect followed orders from a Russian security official and received a payment of at least 5,000 hryvnias, roughly 111 dollars, for her work. She contacted the targets through the messaging app Telegram, telling them the packages contained free drugs. The recipients were instructed to consume the capsules on camera to prove receipt.

The packages contained a lethal dose of methadone, a substance the soldiers did not know they were ingesting. Police confirmed that two soldiers in the Zhytomyr region died as a result of the poisoning. Investigators stated that they have since identified additional recipients of the parcels, a move they credit with preventing four further deaths elsewhere in the country.

The teenage suspect faces charges for aiding and abetting premeditated murder as part of a prior conspiracy. She is also accused of distributing drugs and psychotropic substances. If a court finds her guilty, she could serve up to 15 years in prison. Police warned that the operation aimed to kill Ukrainian personnel and destabilize the domestic situation. They advised the public to avoid accepting food, drinks, or medication from strangers.

This incident adds to a series of accusations exchanged by Ukraine and Russia regarding the use of minors in sabotage operations since the war began in 2022. Ukrainian authorities have opened thousands of investigations into alleged collaboration with Moscow and regularly arrest individuals suspected of working for Russian intelligence. Earlier in 2023, Ukraine accused Russian services of poisoning the wife of Kyrylo Budanov, then head of military intelligence and now a presidential adviser. Several other GUR personnel were diagnosed with the same condition. That same year, Paris prosecutors launched an inquiry into the poisoning of a Russian journalist who had famously displayed an anti-war sign on state television.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also commented on the frequency of such attempts. In a recent interview with The Sun, he claimed he has survived between five and six assassination attempts since the invasion started. The current investigation continues as police work to trace the full network behind the Zhytomyr plots.

Police have not named the suspect publicly, keeping her identity confidential pending trial procedures.