Russian handler paid 17-year-old to mail lethal methadone to six Ukrainian troops
The teenager is accused of mailing lethal doses of the drug to six soldiers in Zhytomyr, killing two.
By Alina Carter ·
Ukrainian authorities have charged a 17-year-old woman with premeditated murder after she allegedly mailed lethal doses of methadone to six soldiers. The incident, which took place in the Zhytomyr region west of Kyiv, resulted in the deaths of two service members.
Police announced the detention on Friday. The suspect, who has not been publicly named, was arrested in Zhytomyr. Investigators state she operated under the direction of a Russian security handler. She was promised at least 5,000 hryvnias, approximately $111, for completing the task.
The method involved a deception tactic executed via the Telegram messaging app. The suspect contacted the soldiers and sent them packages labeled as free drugs. A police statement noted that the recipients were instructed to consume the medication on camera. The capsules contained a lethal dose of methadone, a substance the soldiers did not know was inside.
Law enforcement officials reported that the two soldiers died from the poisoning in the Zhytomyr region. Investigators identified four other recipients of the packages earlier, a move they say prevented four additional murders across the country. The suspect now faces charges for aiding and abetting murder through prior conspiracy, as well as shipping drugs and psychotropic substances for distribution.
If a court finds her guilty, the 17-year-old could spend up to 15 years in prison. Police officials warned that the operation was part of a wider Russian strategy to kill Ukrainian personnel and destabilize the country. They urged the public to be cautious about accepting food, drinks, or medication from strangers.
Ukrainian and Russian officials have long accused one another of using minors for sabotage operations during the war that began in 2022. Ukrainian authorities have opened thousands of investigations into suspected collaboration with Moscow. In 2023, Ukraine alleged that Russian agents poisoned the wife of Kyrylo Budanov, then head of military intelligence, along with several other intelligence service personnel. That same year, prosecutors in Paris investigated the poisoning of a Russian journalist known for her anti-war stance.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently told the British tabloid The Sun that he has survived at least five or six assassination attempts since the invasion began.
