The Cyber specialists of the Security Service of Ukraine neutralized the spy network of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russia, which operated in the Kharkiv region.
As per the details shared by the SBU, “The perpetrators collected intelligence on the geolocations of fortified areas and the routes of movement of convoys of military equipment of the Defense Forces, including by rail.”
It is to be noted that, among the special tasks of the Russian agents was the collection of incriminating material on the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who are in the front-line territories of the region. Russian intelligence paid the greatest attention to current officials of local military commissions and military medical commissions.
According to the details shared by the SBU, “The Russian troops needed such information to try to recruit them and prepare special information operations against Ukraine. In addition, Russian agents monitored the consequences of Russian airstrikes on Kharkov, and then went to the places of arrivals to record them and send a report to the occupiers.”
As a result of a multi-stage special operation, SBU officers recorded the criminal actions of 4 members of the Russian intelligence network and detained them at their places of residence.
The investigation has further revealed that, “the leadership of the Russian groups was carried out remotely by a former local resident who fled to Russia at the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation. There he was recruited by HR staff and tasked with creating his own agency network in Kharkiv.”
“He recruited four of his acquaintances from the city into its composition, including a taxi driver and an employee of a local gas supply company. To gather information, they traveled around the area and recorded the bases of the Defense Forces or the “addresses” of Russian airstrikes. They forwarded the collected information to the resident (head of the group) in the Russian Federation, and he provided them to his “curator” from the game,” reveals investigation.
During searches of the detainees’ homes, computers and mobile phones were found, which they used to conduct intelligence and subversive activities against Ukraine. Three combat grenades were also seized from them.
It is to be noted that, investigators of the Security Service have notified the three detainees of suspicion under part 2 of Art. 28, Part 2 of Art. 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (treason committed under martial law, by prior conspiracy by a group of persons).
Another suspect was notified of suspicion under Part 1 of Art. 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal handling of ammunition). The detainees are in custody. They face various terms of imprisonment, including life imprisonment.