Izmail agent sold data on the Ukrainian Armed Forces to Russian special services

A resident of Izmail passed the coordinates of military facilities to Russia and received money for it. The court found him guilty of treason and sentenced him to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property.

This is evidenced by the verdict of the Izmail City District Court of Odesa Region.

According to the investigation, in November 2024, the man began to cooperate with representatives of the Russian special services via messengers, agreeing to provide information on the location of military units, training grounds, locations of equipment and personnel movements. For his services, he received over 6,000 hryvnias on his bank card.

Among the tasks he was assigned was even penetrating the territory of military facilities in women's clothing. The man did not go to the facilities, but found photos and coordinates on the Internet and sent them to representatives of the Russian Federation. For this, he was paid 1 thousand hryvnias twice, and the last time he received a transfer of 4 thousand hryvnias.

Witnesses during the trial described the activities of the accused. One of his close relatives said that she learned about the cooperation with the Russian Federation from her other sister, who lives in Germany. She said that the defendant personally confessed to her that he had passed on information about military facilities, including the military enlistment office and units of the Armed Forces, for money.

Another witness confirmed that the man had provided coordinates and photos of the units, clarified the locations of the SBU and military units, and discussed the involvement of acquaintances in the "work".

During the trial, the defendant pleaded partially guilty and claimed that he had no criminal intent to harm Ukraine. He explained that he considered his actions to be a deception to get money and did not realize that it could harm people.

The correspondence with representatives of the Russian Federation lasted about a month. The man even considered informing the SBU, but decided to see the case through to the end in order to earn money. He was promised 1,500 USD for the last task.

In addition, the investigation found that the man was actively discussing with the enemy the involvement of other people, including girls he knew. He received clear instructions and promises of payment from the Russians, using the money to cover his own debts.

The court took into account the defendant's partial guilty plea, but recognized that his actions during martial law posed a threat to Ukraine's national security. The detention was extended until the verdict enters into force.

Also in August, in Odesa region, prosecutors filed an indictment against two men for high treason and sabotage. The investigation revealed that a Russian GRU officer recruited a former teacher at a Kyiv university who moved to Russia in 2021 and agreed to cooperate with the occupiers.

Анна Бальчінос