With the assistance of the command of the Ukrainian National Guard’s special forces unit, the SSU Military Counterintelligence and investigators have detained an agent of russian military intelligence (‘the GRU’) in the Odesa region.

According to the investigation, the suspect – an officer and commander of a National Guard special-purpose group – was passing classified information to the russians about his unit’s combat operations on the front line and behind enemy lines.

The investigation revealed that the mole had been leaking data from the National Guard’s classified information system to the GRU.

To this end, he provided the russian intelligence with the personal details required to log into his account on the agency’s Internet platform.

The ruscists hoped to use this to gain remote access to details about the planning, preparation and execution of combat operations, as well as the algorithms used to manage the special unit’s personnel.

However, the SSU documented the traitor’s every move from the outset of his espionage activities.

Following additional measures to ensure the confidentiality of the Defence Forces’ operations, the SSU detained the agent at his home in Odesa.

The investigation also established that, acting on the GRU’s instructions, the suspect had set fire to a military vehicle in Odesa and recorded the arson on his mobile phone.

According to operational data, later the agent was to manufacture an improvised device to be handed over to a ‘courier’ for a terrorist attack in southern Ukraine.

During the searches of the mole’s premises, a smartphone, a laptop and other data storage devices containing evidence of his actions on the GRU’s behalf were seized.

SSU investigators have notified the detainee of suspicion under Article 111.2 of the CCU (high treason, committed under martial law).

The suspect is in custody without bail and faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.

The operation was carried out under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor General’s Office.