26.09.2025
2 min
595
Two 17-year-old boys from the Netherlands were detained by police on suspicion of spying for Russia. Using Wi-Fi sniffers, they tried to intercept data near the offices of Europol, Eurojust and the Canadian embassy in The Hague.
According to De Telegraaf, the teenagers acted on a task received via Telegram. They used special devices to detect wireless networks and intercept traffic. The arrests were made after a signal from the Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD).
One of the boys was detained at home while doing his homework. His parents admitted to reporters that they had no idea that their son could be involved in espionage. Due to the seriousness of the charges, both minors were remanded in custody for at least two weeks.
Europol confirmed the incident, stressing that no compromise of their systems occurred. The organization cooperates with the national police and emphasizes the importance of protecting its operations.
This is not the first case of recruitment of young people by Russian structures in Europe. Previously, minors were used in Germany for acts of vandalism and sabotage of critical infrastructure.
Wi-Fi sniffers are devices that can detect wireless networks, intercept signals and traffic. Such tools are usually used at the initial stage of cyberattacks to gather intelligence. The Russian group APT28 has already demonstrated similar attacks: in 2024, it used a “nearest neighbor attack” to penetrate the system of an American company through the Wi-Fi network of a neighboring company.
The situation with the arrest of teenagers in the Netherlands highlights a new dangerous trend: Russian special services are actively involving minors for intelligence activities. This poses a challenge not only for security agencies, but also for a society that does not prepare young people for risks of this magnitude.
