In the Mykolaiv region, a sailor posted videos on TikTok showing his unit's bases

In the Mykolaiv region, a sailor was caught after he deserted his military unit and posted a video on TikTok showing the locations of missile systems. He faces up to eight years in prison for these posts.

This was reported by the Security Service of Ukraine.

According to the investigation, the contract soldier posted more than ten videos on his personal page that he had previously filmed on his phone while serving in the Ukrainian Navy. The footage showed the unit’s bases, the combat positions of missile system operators, and their operations to defend the southern Ukrainian coast.

The videos included geotags, making it possible to determine the locations of Ukrainian military personnel. According to the SBU, Russian troops could have used this information to launch strikes against Ukrainian Navy positions.

The sailor released the recordings while in hiding after deserting his military unit. The SBU’s military counterintelligence exposed him with the assistance of Navy leadership.

According to the security service, after the sailor was exposed, the Ukrainian military secured the temporary locations of the Defense Forces in advance.

SBU investigators notified the sailor that he was suspected of violating Part 2 of Article 114-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. This involves the unauthorized disclosure of information regarding the locations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, enabling their identification on the ground, committed under martial law.

The penalty under this article provides for up to 8 years of imprisonment.

Ірина Глухова