The Ministry of Education and Science, together with the National Police and the Security Service of Ukraine, held a nationwide online lesson for schoolchildren from various regions.
Russian intelligence agencies use a variety of methods to recruit Ukrainian children in an attempt to destabilize the situation in the country. Among the most common methods is luring teenagers into criminal activity through psychological pressure, manipulation, and financial incentives.
Law enforcement officials explained to the teenagers how to recognize the threat and what to do if Russian intelligence agencies try to recruit them and involve them in arson, sabotage, or terrorist attacks.
Recommended actions include:
- Call 102.
- Send a message to the SBU chatbot “Expose the FSB Agent” or call the hotline: 0-800-501-482.
- Notify a juvenile prevention inspector or a representative of the Educational Security Service (SOB), if one is present at the school.
Since the beginning of 2024, the Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police have detained over 600 individuals who, acting on orders from the Russian Federation, committed arson, sabotage, and terrorist attacks on Ukrainian territory. Instead of the promised “easy money,” all of them faced charges from the SBU and the real prospect of a long prison sentence.
Juvenile prevention officers from the National Police, in collaboration with the SBU, have been conducting an information campaign for several months aimed at raising children’s awareness of the threat of recruitment by hostile intelligence services. A national online lesson for teenagers, organized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the National Police of Ukraine, and the SBU, has become one of the key activities of this campaign.
The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine offers the following recommendations to parents and educators:
- Build a trusting relationship with your child from an early age.
- Discuss online safety rules.
- Teach them not to communicate with strangers.
- Explain that “easy money” can have serious consequences.
- Improve children’s media literacy and legal awareness.
- Tell your child that in any crisis situation, they can turn to an Educational Safety Service (ESS) inspector. The presence of these officers in educational institutions ensures children’s safety.
Remember: vigilance and open communication with children are key to preventing their recruitment.