UK police alert helps foil planned school attack in Ukraine

Authorities in Ukraine say a 15-year-old teenager was detained after allegedly planning a knife attack at a school, following a tip from British counterterrorism officers.

Ukraine’s Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said the 15-year-old was detained as he tried to enter a school in Zakarpattia with a knife in his backpack while livestreaming on a social media platform. Police said he had posted about his plans online and was arrested before anyone was harmed.

The Metropolitan Police in London said its Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit received a public tip on Thursday about an online post suggesting an imminent attack in Ukraine. The information was passed to Europol and a liaison officer, who alerted Ukrainian counterparts. The teen was detained the following morning.

Klymenko said Ukrainian cyber police, criminal police, and local officers acted “without losing a minute.” Security was reinforced around the school, and the attack was prevented. “Children and teachers are safe,” he said.

Commander Dominic Murphy of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command said the cooperation between agencies “helped to avert what could have been a potentially devastating attack at a school in Ukraine.”