A student in Kyiv jokingly threatened to blow up an exchange office

A 19-Year-Old Student Arrested in Kyiv After Threatening a Currency Exchange Office, Claiming It Was a Joke

Law enforcement authorities in Kyiv have arrested a 19-year-old student who, after threatening a currency exchange office, claimed it was a joke.

The police reported that the young man is suspected of committing a robbery. According to the information provided by the Svyatoshyn District Prosecutor’s Office, he has been charged under Part 4 of Article 187 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which deals with robbery during martial law.

The investigation revealed that the young man entered the exchange office with his face covered, handed a note to the cashier, and threatened to blow up the office if he didn’t receive all the cash from the register. He demanded that the money be given quickly, claiming there were only minutes left before the explosion, and also threatened to climb over the counter to the cashiers.

The exchange office staff immediately triggered the alarm. Security arrived at the scene within minutes and detained the attacker. A search revealed no explosives on him.

After his arrest, the young man claimed that he had no intention to rob the office and that it was just a prank. However, he couldn’t provide any evidence to support his claims, as he didn’t record the incident or have any accomplices.

This situation is serious, as committing a robbery during martial law is punishable by a lengthy prison sentence — from 8 to 15 years, along with asset confiscation.

As a result, the security situation in the capital remains tense, especially in light of recent drone attacks, which have led to dangerous munitions being found in the city.