Photo: SBU
The Security Service of Ukraine detained a lieutenant colonel of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who worked for the Russian GRU. According to the SBU, on 15 November, the traitor passed plans for combat operations of the Ukrainian military in the rear of the occupiers to the enemy.
Recruitment and “activation” of an agent
According to the SBU, Russian intelligence recruited the officer before the full-scale invasion through his personal connections in Russia. In the spring of 2024, the agent was “activated” and tasked with collecting and transmitting classified information.
The GRU was particularly interested in them:
- routes of sabotage and reconnaissance groups of the SSO,
- of weapons for the Ukrainian military,
- key objectives of operations in Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and Crimea.
The occupiers planned to use this data to eliminate Ukrainian special forces both on the front line and in the temporarily occupied areas.
Detention and consequences
The operation to detain the enemy agent was conducted with the support of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi and the Commander of the SSU. The SBU Military Counterintelligence thoroughly documented all the traitor’s actions.
During the searches, the lieutenant colonel’s belongings were seized:
- the means of communication used to transmit information,
- computer equipment,
- mobile phone,
- data carriers.
The officer was served a notice of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – high treason committed under martial law. He faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.
The SBU stressed that along with the detention of the mole, a number of measures were taken to protect the units of the Defence Forces and ensure the security of their operations.
This case highlights the importance of constant vetting of personnel and strengthening of counterintelligence measures in the ranks of Ukrainian law enforcement agencies.
