A court in Russia’s Kemerovo region has sentenced a 17-year-old to four years in a juvenile correctional colony for financing terrorism, after he used a messaging app’s paid-reaction feature to send money to a channel linked to a Ukrainian military unit. The Investigative Committee stated the teenager made cashless transfers via his account between November and December 2025, thereby funding an organisation designated as terrorist and banned in Russia. Local media, citing law enforcement sources, identified the channel as belonging to a unit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The conviction under Article 205.1 of the Russian Criminal Code marks one of the most severe penalties yet for a minor in a case involving digital micro-transactions.

In London, a 14-year-old boy has pleaded not guilty to preparing terrorist acts and causing racially aggravated damage, in what the Metropolitan Police describe as an investigation into extreme right-wing terrorism. Prosecutors allege the boy identified two mosques in Sutton as targets, conducted reconnaissance, selected a weapon, and gathered instructional material for attacks planned for 28 August. A separate charge relates to the deliberate breaking of a car window. The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was remanded to youth detention and is due to appear at the Old Bailey on 21 August. Commander Helen Flanagan, head of London’s Counter Terrorism Policing unit, said the charge was likely to be highly concerning to the public and that police were working closely with affected venues and the Muslim community.

In a parallel case, Russian authorities in Kursk have detained a 15-year-old on suspicion of preparing to participate in a terrorist organisation. According to the regional Investigative Committee, the teenager began communicating online in May 2026 with an unidentified person acting on behalf of a banned group and expressed willingness to engage in joint activity. The FSB border directorate assisted in the investigation. Russian law enforcement agencies report a broader pattern: the Kommersant daily notes a rise in criminal cases against minors for terrorism-related offences, including arson attacks on railway infrastructure and attempts on officials, often after contact with handlers based in Ukraine who recruit via social media and messaging platforms. Incidents have been recorded in Kuzbass, Rostov, Ufa, Nalchik, and Stavropol, among other regions.

Legal observers in Russia point out that the use of paid reactions on Telegram has previously led to terrorism-financing charges, and some lawyers say authorities have begun to interpret such actions as treason in certain cases. In the UK, the Metropolitan Police have flagged an increase in minors drawn into extremist ideologies, urging parents and teachers to watch for signs of radicalisation. The Kuzbass teenager has been sentenced; the Kursk suspect faces a custody hearing; and the London boy’s next court appearance is scheduled for late August. Across both jurisdictions, security services continue to scrutinise online platforms as vectors for recruitment and as arenas where digital gestures can carry severe legal consequences.