Posted By Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on February 25, 2025

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian authorities have detained a 17-year-old boy suspected of gathering intelligence to help Ukraine target Russia's Ryazan oil refinery with drones, Russian state news agency RIA reported on Tuesday.
RIA reported that law enforcement officers in the region of Bashkortostan had detained the boy who was being investigating under laws related to "terrorism and treason" which carry a prison sentence of up to 20 years.
RIA said the boy, whom it did not name, was accused of providing Ukrainian intelligence with information about the refinery in return for money since the autumn of 2024 and had confessed to his crime under questioning.
The Ryazan refinery, which is located around 240km (150 miles) south of Moscow, suspended operations after an attack by Ukrainian drones on Monday, three industry sources told Reuters.
(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Felix Light; Editing by Andrew Osborn)