Ukraines Alleged Phishing Plot to Recruit Russian Youth Army Members Uncovered by FSB

On Thursday, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that it had thwarted an attempt by NATO-supported Ukraine to recruit members of the Youth Army in Russia.

The FSB claimed that Ukraine’s GUR intelligence agency had sent phishing emails targeting schools in Moscow and nearby regions, having intercepted and manipulated communications from the Youth Army and the military-patriotic education center Avangard.

According to the FSB, “The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense aimed to gather personal information about minors for possible recruitment and to involve them in intelligence and subversive operations against Russia’s security.”

The agency informed schools in Moscow and the surrounding area about the reported Ukrainian initiative and noted that an investigation is currently underway.

In the previous month, Russia’s Investigative Committee, responsible for examining serious crimes, issued a warning that both youth and the elderly in Russia could increasingly be at risk of being persuaded by foreign entities to engage in acts of sabotage.

Established in 2015 by President Vladimir Putin, the Youth Army, or Yunarmia, is supported by Russia’s Defense Ministry.

Proponents view it as a patriotic youth organization that encourages civic participation and prepares young individuals for future military service. However, detractors argue that it acts as a mechanism for strengthening the Kremlin’s authority and have drawn parallels to the Hitler Youth.