The SSU Counterintelligence has exposed an organizer of mobilization evasion schemes on cooperation with russia’s federal security service.

The SSU detained him in August this year, when he was trying to swim across the Dnipro River on the border with belarus in swinfins in order to move to russia.

During the investigation, the SSU obtained evidence that the suspect had been in contact with the enemy special service and had deliberately disrupted mobilization in Ukraine. After fleeing to russia, he planned to participate in the FSB’s info- and psyops.

The perpetrator is a 52-year-old resident of Zhytomyr region, a former representative of the banned Derzhava party, who was remotely recruited by the kremlin’s special service.

On the enemy instructions, the agent first administered existing and then created a network of new Telegram channels, in which he provided men with detailed instructions on how to evade conscription.

He offered the draft dodgers to flee to russia through prepared routes bypassing the checkpoints.

To develop such routes through forest trails or across rivers, the agent scouted sections of the state border, marked them on maps and sent them to his ‘clients’.

After escape to russia, the individual planned to participate in the FSB’s information and psychological operations. In live broadcasts of russian propagandists, he was to discredit Ukrainian state institutions, supposedly on behalf of ordinary citizens of our country.

Based on the new facts of the suspect’s sabotage activity, SSU investigators notified him of suspicion under Article 111.2 of the CCU (high treason, committed under martial law).

The criminal case has been sent to the court. The suspect is in custody and faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.

Earlier, his criminal actions were qualified under two Articles of the CCU:

• 114-1.1 (obstruction of the AFU’s lawful activity, during a special period);
• 332.2 (illegal crossing of Ukraine’s state border).

The operation was carried out by the SSU Office in Chernihiv region jointly with the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine under the procedural supervision of Chernihiv Region Prosecutor's Office.