Two teenagers arrested in the Netherlands for cyber-espionage on behalf of Russia

Two 17-year-old Dutch teenagers are alleged to have been recruited by pro-Russian cybercriminals to use a Wi-Fi sniffer to target the networks of Europol, Eurojust and embassies in The Hague.

A Dutch investigating judge questioned the two 17-year-olds on September 25, 2025, over accusations of cyber-espionage on behalf of Russia. Arrested three days earlier, one had been placed in pre-trial detention, while the other was released on bail.

According to Dutch prosecution spokesperson Brechtje van de Moosdijk, they are suspected of violating laws on state interference. The spokesperson, however, stressed that due to their age and the ongoing investigation, no further details would be provided.

According to the father of one of the suspects, pro-Russian cybercriminal groups allegedly recruited them via Telegram. The two teenagers were reportedly tasked with following a specific route using a Wi-Fi sniffer in order to intercept network data from several buildings in The Hague. The targeted sites included the headquarters of Europol and Eurojust, as well as several embassies.