The SBU caught a soldier in the Odesa region passing on data for enemy attacks

The SBU exposed a Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemember in the Odesa region who had been recruited by Russian intelligence agencies via Telegram to gather information on Ukrainian forces. The agent photographed military bases and transmitted the coordinates of potential targets for strikes in southern Ukraine.

According to the SBU, he served in one of the Ukrainian Army’s mechanized brigades. Investigators say he helped coordinate potential Russian strikes on military targets in southern Ukraine.

Law enforcement officials determined that the soldier came to the attention of Russian intelligence services while looking for quick money on Telegram channels. There, a representative of the Russian intelligence services contacted him and offered money in exchange for cooperation.

After being recruited, the agent rented a car, drove around the Odesa region, and covertly photographed the locations of Ukrainian Defense Forces bases. In addition, he marked the locations of Ukrainian military units on Google Maps.

SBU cybersecurity experts uncovered the agent’s activities, documented the crimes, and detained the suspect while he was conducting further reconnaissance near one of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ facilities.

During searches, a smartphone containing evidence of his collaboration with Russian intelligence services was seized from the detainee. He had also created a virtual crypto wallet, into which he expected to receive money from representatives of the aggressor country.

SBU investigators informed the military officer that he is suspected of treason. He is currently being held in custody without the right to bail. He faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.

Also in August, a 46-year-old Odesa resident was sent to pretrial detention; he had been passing on the coordinates of regional command and control centers and joint operations centers, as well as military facilities in Odesa, to the enemy. Following Russian missile and drone attacks, the suspect would travel to the sites of the strikes, photograph the damage, and send the collected materials to a representative of the Russian special services.

According to investigators, this data could have been used to adjust subsequent strikes on the city.

Анна Літман