TikToker arrested after posting clip of Ukrainian military vehicles parked near a mall that Russia later blew up

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TikToker arrested after posting clip of Ukrainian military vehicles parked near a mall that Russia later blew up
Firefighters work at site after a Russians trike on a shopping mall in Kyiv, Ukraine.Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
  • Russian forces blew up a shopping mall on the outskirts of Kyiv on Sunday.
  • Ukraine's Security Service said it arrested a TikToker who filmed military vehicles by the mall.
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A Ukrainian man was arrested after posting a TikTok video of military vehicles parked near a shopping mall that was later blown up by Russians.

On Sunday, Russian forces struck a shopping mall on the northwestern outskirts of Kyiv, killing eight people, Reuters reported. The day after, the Security Service of Ukraine posted a video of the man apologizing.

"A TikToker recently posted on the internet about the location of the Ukrainian military in Kyiv," the Security Service said.

It continued: "Later, the shopping center, where our defenders were, was subjected to a powerful missile strike by the Russian occupiers.

"Knowingly or unknowingly, this man worked as a corrector for the enemy — an investigation will be established."

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In the Security Service's video, the man identified himself as Artemev Pavel Alexandrevich and said he was a resident of Kyiv.

He said he posted a TikTok showing the movement of Ukrainian military equipment near the shopping mall, and he urged people to "not put stuff on TikTok."

It's unclear when exactly Alexandrevich posted the TikTok. The Russian news outlet Pravda reported that he posted it on February 24, the day of the Russian invasion.

Ukrainian officials have been warning citizens to refrain from posting footage of Ukrainian military movement on social media in case it helps Russian forces with their targets.

After the shopping-mall bombing, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko urged residents not to share footage "of the movement of military equipment, checkpoints, strategic objects."

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Russia's defense ministry said on Monday that it targeted the "nonfunctioning" shopping mall because it was being used as a "store of ammunition" and rockets by Ukrainian forces, Sky News reported.

It's unclear whether Ukrainian forces used the shopping mall to store military equipment.

Kyiv locals told The Guardian that Ukrainian forces were using the entire area as a base because it was only a few miles away from the neighboring town Irpin, where Russian forces are stationed.

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