Following an investigation by the SSU, court sentenced to eight years in prison an agent of russian military intelligence who planned a series of terrorist attacks in Odesa region.

The SSU detained the agent in early January this year ‘red handed’ when he was recruiting a perpetrator of the planned attacks.

The investigation established that the foreigner periodically came to Ukraine to carry out assignments he got from russian special services. His supervisors from russian military intelligence operated from the territory of the unrecognized Transnistrian Moldavian Republic.

His main task was to destabilize the social and political situation in Odesa region through sabotage and terrorist acts. For this reason, he organized the arson of a military vehicle of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Odesa in December 2021 and the defacement of the Heroes of Heavenly Hundred memorial sign.

Further targets were supposed to be the offices of volunteer and patriotic organizations, as well as military equipment in Odesa region.

Before the start of russia’s full-scale invasion, russian special services planned to conduct special informational and psychological operations to create a picture of ‘presence of pro-russian underground and anti-Ukrainian sentiments in Odesa region.’

The court of first instance found the accused guilty under Article 258.2 (terrorist act) of the CCU and sentenced him to 8 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property.