Teenagers Recruited Online by Russia and Iran for Espionage and Sabotage in Europe

A 17-year-old Dutch boy was arrested in Rotterdam last September, accused of being recruited by Russian agents on Telegram to spy on law enforcement in The Hague using a “sniffer” device. This incident highlights a growing trend where hostile states, particularly Russia and Iran, are recruiting teenagers online for espionage and sabotage.

The Financial Times, through interviews with officials in six countries, established that this Dutch teenager is one of many minors targeted. These young people, often gamers, are approached on platforms like Telegram, TikTok, and Discord, and offered cryptocurrency for tasks. Recruiters often operate through criminal groups co-opted by intelligence agencies.

This tactic, first seen in Ukraine where teenagers were recruited for sabotage and propaganda, has spread to Poland, the Netherlands, and the UK. Iran has also adopted this to target dissidents in Europe and sow chaos in Israel. Dominic Murphy, former head of London Metropolitan Police’s counterterrorism command, noted the sudden scale of this challenge over the past 18 months.

Ukrainian intelligence reports that 21% of those arrested for collaborating with Russia in 2025 were teenagers. Similarly, many perpetrators of anti-Semitic attacks in Europe, linked to the Iranian-backed Ashab al-Yamin militia, are under 18. Gaming sites, like World of Tanks, are used as recruitment portals, with agents leveraging “quest” mentalities to entice real-world action.

Europol considers preventing minors from being drawn into this a top priority. Director Catherine De Bolle emphasized that young people, still developing their ethical compass and seeking their place in society, are psychologically vulnerable to those offering attention and trust. Hostile states view these teenagers as disposable, facing little risk if operations fail, while recruits like the Dutch boy face life-altering consequences.

Police and intelligence officials describe this as Russia and Iran exploiting digital natives in hybrid warfare. Ukrainian police arrested two groups of 15-16 year olds in Kharkiv who were unwittingly recruited by Russia’s FSB to photograph air-defense systems under the guise of a “quest” game. This information was then used for air strikes. The SBU states that Russia’s recruitment of minors, some as young as 11, is now standard, especially after the war alienated older Ukrainians. Laura Brady, an analyst, notes that younger individuals are less curious, cheaper to employ, and more impulsive.