Mikhail Sidorov

According to the investigation, an unidentified person located in an unidentified place but “actively supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine” contacted the minor Sidorov via the Telegram messenger and offered him "to commit acts in the interests of a foreign state, Ukraine, to destabilise the socio-political situation on the territory of the Russian Federation, undermining its economic security and defence capacity of the Russian Federation, weaken the military potential of the Russian Federation, undermining its economic security and defense capability, and weakening its military potential in the conditions of the ongoing special military operation. Dissatisfied with his financial situation, Sidorov allegedly agreed.” In particular, Sidorov was offered a monetary reward for an arson of a relay cabinet, that is, “to commit arson aimed at damaging and destroying objects of transport infrastructure and vehicles to undermine the economic security and defence capability of the Russian Federation.” The unidentified person sent Sidorov the coordinates of the cabinet and necessary instructions. Sidorov proposed to his friend Egor Melnikov to commit arson of the relay cabinet together. On 21 January 2024, equipped with all the necessary tools: a crowbar, a nail puller, plastic bottles bought in advance and filled with petrol, and a video recording device, they arrived in a group, by prior conspiracy, at the specified coordinates to the relay cabinet located at the Mark-Lobnya interstation track on the Savelovsky direction of the Moscow railway. They broke in and set fire to the cabinet. Sidorov set the fire, and Melnikov filmed it on his phone camera. They did not manage to cause much damage to the device “due to the presence of an automatic fire extinguishing system inside the relay cabinet”. Nevertheless, the investigation later determined that the damage amounted to 20,752 rubles 53 kopecks. After fleeing the scene, the young men sent the video recording to the unidentified person from a taxi on their way home. Subsequently, a cryptocurrency payment was transferred to an account opened by Melnikov. The two men divided the money between themselves, with Melnikov giving the larger part to Sidorov and keeping a small portion as reimbursement for the gasoline bought for the arson.