A Kyiv resident bought a solvent from Epicenter and set a door on fire to make money. This was the court's decision.

A man received an offer via Telegram to douse the entrance door of an apartment with a flammable substance for monetary compensation and to provide video evidence of the completed task. He purchased a solvent at Epicenter and carried out all the actions. This is stated in the verdict of the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv, published on December 31, 2024.

In the “Epicenter” store, the man bought a flammable substance, specifically a solvent. On October 24, 2024, at approximately 10:20 PM, he arrived at the building and, ensuring that no one was watching him, approached the entrance door of the apartment. Using the pre-prepared flammable substance, he doused the carpet and the door, then ignited them with a lighter. To confirm the commission of the illegal acts for the purpose of receiving money, he recorded a video of the fire at the entrance door, after which he fled the scene of the crime, causing property damage to the victim amounting to 10,000 hryvnias.

At the court hearing, the man fully admitted his guilt. He explained that on October 24, 2024, he received an offer via Telegram to douse the entrance door of an apartment with a flammable substance for monetary compensation and to provide video evidence of the completed task. Agreeing to the offer, he purchased the solvent at the “Epicenter” store. Subsequently, he arrived at the building, doused the carpet and the entrance door with the solvent, and set them on fire. He was later apprehended by the police, confessed to the committed offense, and assisted in solving the crime.

What punishment did the court impose?

The court found the man guilty of committing a criminal offense under Part 2 of Article 194 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and sentenced him to 3 years of imprisonment. Based on Article 75 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, he was released from the imposed sentence under probation, provided he does not commit a new criminal offense and fulfills the obligations imposed by the court during the 2-year probation period. Under Article 76 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, he is required to periodically report to the authorized probation authority; inform the authorized probation authority of any change in his residence; and not leave Ukraine without the approval of the authorized probation authority.