Two 17-year-old boys have been arrested in the Netherlands on suspicion of involvement in espionage activities.
Dutch media reported that the arrested boys were contacted via Telegram by a pro-Russian hacker. However, the National Office of the Netherlands Public Prosecution Service declined to confirm or corroborate any pro-Russian links.
One of the boys was reportedly observed near sensitive buildings in The Hague, including the headquarters of Europol, Eurojust and the Canadian embassy, while carrying a Wi-Fi sniffer – a device that can map wireless networks and intercept data.
A spokesperson from the Netherlands Public Prosecution Service confirmed the arrests and told Infosecurity that while the exact suspicion was yet to be revealed it was indeed linked to “foreign interference.”
“The suspects were brought before the Magistrate judge on Thursday 25 September, where it has been decided that they remain in custody. One on house arrest, the other in pre trial detention. After 14 days there will be another closed hearing. Because of the young age of the suspects and the interest of the investigation we cannot share more info at the moment,” the spokesperson said.
Read more on Russian-linked cyber-attacks in Europe: Russian APT Groups Intensify Attacks in Europe with Zero-Day Exploits and Wipers
During a search of one suspect’s home, police seized electronic equipment.
According to Dutch media, the boy’s father said his son was arrested while doing homework and described him as a computer-savvy gamer with a fascination for hacking. He also noted that the teenager holds a part-time job at a supermarket.
Wider Pattern Across Europe
The case comes amid a broader trend of Russian threat actors recruiting young people in Europe. Similar incidents were recently reported in Germany and Ukraine, where teenagers were allegedly asked to film government buildings or carry out minor acts of vandalism.
Prime Minister Dick Schoof described the Dutch arrests as part of “Russia’s hybrid attacks on Europe,” warning that children are being exploited in operations that target critical institutions.
Experts say Russia often leverages hacktivist or criminal groups such as NoName(057)16 and Killnet. These groups conduct cyber-attacks or surveillance while allowing Moscow to maintain plausible deniability.
This strategy complicates attribution and lowers the political cost of interference in Western states.
