Main points
- Two Moldovan citizens have been convicted in Estonia of setting fire to the Slava Ukrainy restaurant, acting on instructions from Russian military intelligence.
- After the arson, a video appeared on YouTube, the perpetrators fled abroad, but were detained in Italy and extradited to Estonia.
- The elder Kihayal received a six-month sentence and could be released in August of this year, while the younger was sentenced to 6.5 years in prison.
GRU agents burned down the restaurant “Slava Ukraine” / Priit Mürk/ERR
Two Moldovan citizens have appeared in court in Estonia for setting fire to the Slava Ukrainy restaurant in Tallinn. Investigators found that the men worked for Russian military intelligence and received money for their activities. The verdict has already come into force, although one of the arsonists may be released soon.
Estonian law enforcement officials reported that the criminals were acting on instructions from the GRU and chose the restaurant as a target because of its pro-Ukrainian position and symbolic name, 24 Kanal reported, citing ERR.
Arson due to pro-Ukrainian position
The restaurant “Slava Ukrainy” became a target of Russian special services because of its name and open support of Ukraine. 33-year-old Ivan Kihajal was given the task by the GRU to first set fire to the COOP store in Viru County. For this he was paid about 2 thousand dollars.
The next task was to set fire to a restaurant in the capital of Estonia. To implement the plan to set fire to the restaurant, the younger Kihayal recruited his full namesake, the elder 38-year-old Ivan Kihayal.
How the arson in Tallinn took place
On the night of January 31, the older attacker broke the restaurant window, doused it with gasoline and set it on fire. The younger one filmed the crime in order to later pass the video on to his Russian handlers.
Soon, a video of the arson appeared on YouTube. After committing the arson, both men fled abroad. After 12 days, they were detained by law enforcement in Italy. After extradition to Estonia, they were charged with arson and cooperation with foreign intelligence.
An Estonian court sentenced the younger Kihayal to 6.5 years in prison. The elder Kihayal received only six months in prison, so he will be released in August 2025. The court found the motives for the arson to be directly related to the order from Russian intelligence.
Let us recall that Russian agents recruited through Telegram channels blew up a passenger car with a prosecutor in Dnepr on June 6. The law enforcement officer received minor bodily injuries, and the perpetrators face up to 12 years in prison.
