With the assistance of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Security Service has exposed an enemy agent in the Odesa region. He is a conscript recruited by russia and placed in one of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ mechanised brigades. The perpetrator helped enemy gather targeting data for air attacks on southern Ukraine.

The investigation revealed that the soldier had come to russia’s attention while searching for ‘easy’ money on Telegram channels. There, he was contacted by a russian intelligence officer who offered him money for cooperation.

The asset drove around the city and neighbouring districts in a rented car, covertly filming the Defence Forces’ command posts on his mobile phone.

He also marked the coordinates of Ukrainian troops’ positions on Google Maps.

The SSU cyber team uncovered the agent’s espionage activities at an early stage, documented them, and apprehended him in the act of conducting reconnaissance near a Ukrainian army facility.

A smartphone containing evidence of his actions on the enemy’s behalf was seized from the suspect during searches. The investigators also found a virtual wallet in his possession, which he had created in the hope of receiving cryptocurrency transfers from the aggressor state.

The SSU has 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 by the SSU Office in the Odesa region under the procedural supervision of the Odesa Specialised Defence Prosecutor’s Office in the Southern Region.