17-Year-Old Faces 15 Years After Mailing Methadone

Two Ukrainian soldiers are dead after receiving parcels containing a lethal dose of methadone. Police in Zhytomyr detained a 17-year-old girl on Friday who is suspected of packaging and mailing the drugs to active-duty troops.

Authorities said the teen was promised at least 5,000 hryvnias, roughly $111, by a Russian handler for her role in the scheme. She allegedly contacted the soldiers through Telegram, offering them packages of "free drugs" and instructing them to take the capsules on camera. The recipients were unaware the capsules contained a fatal amount of methadone.

Investigators identified four other soldiers who received similar packages, preventing those deaths from occurring. The suspect is now accused of aiding and abetting the premeditated murder of the two victims as part of a prior conspiracy. She also faces charges for shipping drugs and psychotropic substances for distribution. If convicted, she could serve up to 15 years in prison.

Police warned that the Russian security services aim to kill Ukrainian personnel and destabilize the country. They urged citizens to avoid accepting medication, food, or drinks from strangers or people they do not know well. The suspect was arrested in Zhytomyr, a city located west of the capital, Kyiv.

Ukrainian and Russian forces have accused each other of recruiting minors for sabotage operations since the war began in 2022. Ukrainian authorities have opened thousands of investigations into enemy collaboration and regularly detain individuals accused of working for Moscow. Previous high-profile cases include the 2023 poisoning of the wife of Kyrylo Budanov, then head of military intelligence.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told The Sun that he has survived at least five or six assassination attempts since the invasion. The current case adds to a pattern of poisoning allegations that have emerged throughout the conflict.