Counter-intelligence of Security Service has neutralized the extensive FSB agent network because of a result of large-scale special operation in the Kharkiv & Donetsk regions.
The group included eight local residents.
One of them used the status of assistant to an acting People’s Deputy of Ukraine and a journalist’s license as a cover.
The perpetrators collected intelligence on the locations and movements of the Defense Forces in regions.
It is to be noted that in the “zone of special attention” of enemy were routes of movement of military echelons and the location of railway stations where weapons of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are unloaded.
The agents also scouted the locations of ammunition warehouses, firing positions, checkpoints and fortifications of the Ukrainian troops in the front-line areas of eastern Ukraine and the Dnipropetrovsk region.
In addition, they gave the coordinates of strategically important bridges to the occupiers.
At the same time, the perpetrators recorded the results of Russian missile attacks on Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka, Kostiantynivka and populated areas of the Kharkiv region in order to correct repeated air attacks.
Also, during the temporary occupation of Izyum & Balaklei, those involved selected candidates for composition of local occupation administrations.
SBU counter-intelligence officers gradually documented criminal actions of Russian agents and arrested four members of the enemy network.
Another four are in the territory of the aggressor country. Comprehensive measures are being considered to bring them to justice.
As per the investigation, the spy network was formed by 2 personnel officers of the FSB pre to the start of the full-scale war.
It included an agent who had earlier been recruited by honorary consul of the Russian Federation in the Kharkiv region.
The aggressor also involved other members of the group in tacit cooperation remotely or in the trips of the participants to Russia.
Notably, each of them was assigned a pseudonym and developed a conspiratorial legend.
After February 24 last year, the FSB “activated” its agency to carry out intelligence and subversive activities against Ukraine.
The perpetrators transmitted intelligence to the Russian Federation through the Telegram channel in the form of media files and geolocations on electronic maps.
In the case of occupation of regions, traitors “applied” to join the leadership of the occupation administrations.
During searches of the residences of the suspects, mobile phones were seized, which they used to communicate with the enemy.
Russian symbols and pro-Kremlin literature were also found in their homes.
Additionally, as per the coordinates discovered in the investigative actions, SBU counterintelligence officers traced an enemy cache of weapons that occupiers left behind in their escape from the counteroffensive of the Defense Forces in Kharkiv Oblast.
On the basis of the collected evidence, the investigators of the Security Service notified the detainees of the suspicion under Part 2 of Art. 111 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code (treason committed under martial law).
The court chose a preventive measure – detention.
An investigation is ongoing to bring all the guilty parties to justice.
The special operation was carried out by SBU employees of Donetsk and Luhansk regions together with the Counterintelligence Department under the procedural guidance of the prosecutor’s office.