As a result of cooperation between the Security Service, the National Police, the Prosecutor General’s Office, and law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Lithuania, an enemy militant has been detained in the EU. The individual is a citizen of Ukraine who had defected to the enemy and fought against our state.

The militant was apprehended on the border with Lithuania, where he was trying to flee as a refugee.

As has been established by the investigation, the detainee is a 33-year-old UAV operator who launched russian strike drones on Kherson.

He was born in Sumy region, but after the temporary annexation of Crimea, moved to the peninsula, obtained a russian passport, joined putin’s united russia party and voluntarily signed a contract with the russian ministry of defence.

The man underwent training at a military training ground and swore allegiance to the aggressor state.

In the ranks of the russian armed forces, he was appointed an unmanned systems operator and sent to the southern front in Ukraine.

Assessing the risks of fighting against Ukraine’s Defence Forces, the soldier fled from his firing positions and further to the EU.

On EU territory, he planned to use his Ukrainian passport to obtain refugee status and lay low.

Based on materials from the SSU Counterintelligence and the Criminal Investigation Department of the National Police, Lithuanian law enforcement identified the militant at the border of the Baltic state and handed him over to the Ukrainian side for justice.

Security Service investigators have notified the perpetrator of suspicion under Article 111.2 of the CCU (high treason, committed under martial law).

The suspect is in custody and faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.