In the early hours of Wednesday, Sept. 11, two teenagers entered the airport in the town of Noyabrsk, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, and set fire to a Russian civilian Mi-8 helicopter, reports the Russian Telegram channel Baza.
The report states that 13-year-old Timur and 14-year-old Sasha sneaked into the airport security area through a hole in the fence.
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According to the channel, they received instructions to set the helicopter on fire through Telegram, with a promise of 5 million rubles ($55,000) as payment.
The teens also admitted to setting a cellphone tower on fire a few days earlier and being paid 30,000 rubles ($330) for it.
They had attempted to ignite the helicopter by pouring flammable liquid on it and using cigarettes.
One of them then lit a second cigarette and placed it into the liquid, causing an explosion. »