A sailor who was filming military facilities was taken into custody in Odesa

A 59-year-old former sailor has been taken into custody in Odesa. He is suspected of treason and collaborating with enemy intelligence services.

This was reported by the Odesa Regional Prosecutor’s Office. 

The man is being held without the right to bail. He faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.

According to the investigation, the suspect secretly filmed military facilities, checkpoints, and the operations of air defense units in Odesa. Law enforcement officials note that he did this while traveling around the city on a bicycle. He passed the collected materials to a Russian handler. Multiple instances of video transfers were recorded.

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The prosecutor’s office states that the detainee began working for the enemy in February of this year. According to law enforcement, he did so voluntarily. In particular, it is noted that the man referred to himself as an “ideological” supporter of the enemy country and affirmed his loyalty to the aggressor’s ideology. It has also been documented that the detainee repeatedly expressed his support for the Kremlin regime to those around him.

According to the case file, the Russian special services recruited the former sailor after he was discharged from the ship. To recruit the man, the FSB used an acquaintance of his—a former police officer from Odesa who had moved to Russia.

SBU officers detained the suspect at his place of residence. Defense Forces bases in the area of Russian espionage activity were also secured.

Юлія Калабайда