FSB Agent, Who Posed As Military Officer to Freely Spy on AFU, Detained in Dnipro

The counter-intelligence department of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) conducted a multi-stage, special operation and thus detained an FSB agent “red-handed” in Dnipro. He collected intelligence data on the movement of units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) involved in the counteroffensive on the eastern front.

To disguise intelligence and subversive activities, the offender changed into the military uniform of Ukrainian defenders before leaving for a task. The Russian agent specifically focused on the routes of movement of railway echelons with brand-new military equipment, weapons, and ammunition of the defence forces. He also tried to identify the combat positions of the Ukrainian air defence systems in the area of the regional centre.

To gather intelligence data, the offender regularly visited the territory of the city where he took photos of Ukrainian objects.

The Russian agent sent the received data to his FSB “curator” via messenger in the form of text messages and media files.

For each completed task, the enemy henchman received a monetary reward from the Russian special service. To hide the funding channels, the FSB agent received funds on a bank card using cryptocurrency transactions.

According to available data, the occupiers needed intelligence data to plan combat operations and acts of sabotage aimed at slowing down the Ukrainian counteroffensive in the areas of Vuhledar and Novosilka.

SBU officers detained a Russian agent while he was carrying out a hostile mission near one of the strategic objects in Dnipro.

During the searches, a mobile phone with evidence of correspondence with the aggressor, as well as cartridges for an automatic weapon, was found in his possession.

So far, the SBU investigators served the perpetrator with notice of charges under Part 2 of Art. 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (high treason committed in wartime).

The issue of additional qualification of his criminal actions under Art. 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal possession of weapons, ammunition, or explosives).

He is currently in custody. An investigation is ongoing to establish all the circumstances of the crime. The perpetrator faces life imprisonment.

Natalia Tolub