Russian Spy Network Collects Data on Ukrainian Military R&D

Counterintelligence officers of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) exposed members of the spy network of the Russian special services. In particular, a representative of the terrorist organisation “Ministry of State Security of the Donetsk People’s Republic” recruited a Kharkiv resident to gather classified data on the latest Ukrainian weapons systems. The operation was curated by a career officer of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).

The agent was to collect data on the locations and relocations of law enforcement units, as well as other defence data. He submitted the received information via electronic communication channels to the representatives of the pseudo-special services of the so-called “DPR” and the FSB of the Russian Federation.

As part of the ongoing criminal proceedings, the SBU officers prevented the leak of information from the closed defence research and development programmes, which the enemy agent was trying to obtain at one of Kharkiv’s institutes.

Currently, the agent has been served with notice of charges under the following articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:

• Part 1 of Art. 111 (treason)
• Part 1 of Art. 258-3 (creation of a terrorist group or terrorist organisation)

The court ruled to take the wrongdoer into custody as a measure of restraint.

Natalia Tolub