SBU detains Odesa resident for directing Russian missiles at city

The Security Service of Ukraine has detained a resident of Odesa on suspicion of cooperation with the Russian Federal Security Service and adjusting drone attacks in the region.

According to the SBU, the detainee was preparing coordinates for a new series of attacks on the southern region.

According to the case file, this time the enemy planned to carry out targeted attacks on Ukrainian air defense, which protects the airspace of the coastal zone. The Russian special service paid special attention to the basing points of mobile fire groups, as well as the combat positions of anti-aircraft missile systems and radar stations of the Defense Forces.

In order to identify the necessary geolocations and pass them on to the FSB, the agent traveled by public transport to areas near the Black Sea coast. In case of detection of military facilities, the suspect would conduct additional reconnaissance near them on foot, taking photos and videos of the outer perimeters of potential targets.

The offender also marked their location on Google maps and then saved screenshots of the electronic coordinates on her smartphone. In this way, the detainee was accumulating intelligence to transfer it to her Russian handler via anonymous chat in a messenger.

SBU officers documented the crimes of the suspect and detained her when she was recording the positions of Ukrainian troops on her smartphone. The investigation revealed that a local saleswoman recruited by the FSB was responsible for directing Russian air attacks. She came to the attention of the occupiers when she was looking for easy money on Telegram channels.

SBU investigators served the detainee a notice of suspicion of high treason committed under martial law. The offender is in custody. She faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.

Кирило Бойко