The SSU Counterintelligence has foiled new attempts of the enemy to create an intelligence network in the northern Ukraine. The assets were supposed to collect intelligence on the Defence Forces and help the breakthrough of russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups.

In a penal colony in Zhytomyr region, the SSU exposed an FSB agent who was recruiting other prisoners for sabotage activities against Ukraine.

Potential ‘candidates’ for recruitment were imprisoned criminals whose sentences were about to expire. The main suspect was due to be released soon.

After the release, they were to spread across Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Chernihiv and Sumy regions to monitor the geolocations of Ukraine’s Defence Forces near the border.

Another task was to collect information on the protection of critical infrastructure, including water utilities and energy plants.

The aggressor planned to use this information to prepare routes for a breakthrough of sabotage and reconnaissance groups evading fortifications and firing positions of Ukrainian defenders.

The occupiers also needed the intelligence to identify targets for sabotage in the border areas.

The SSU uncovered the ruscist plans in advance, having learnt about them while documenting the prisoner-FSB agent.

According to the investigation, he was recruited by the russian service when serving his sentence in the temporarily occupied part of Luhansk oblast. The convict was sent there in 2012 for serious crime.

Before the full-scale invasion, the inmate was transferred to a penitentiary institution in the Ukraine-controlled territory as a native of Chernihiv region.

Prior to leaving the temporarily occupied region, the prisoner received an assignment from the FSB.

After his release, he had to contact the russian handlers again at a pre-arranged phone number and receive instructions from them.

The asset was to form an agent group and keep in touch with its members via a messenger app.

The SSU has served the detained enemy accomplice a notice of suspicion under the Articles of the CCU:

• 14.1 (preparation for a criminal offence, search for accomplices, other intentional creation of conditions for committing a criminal offence);
• 111.1 (high treason).

The indictment has been sent to court. The offender faces another 15 years in prison.

The operation was carried out by the SSU Offices in Kyiv and Kyiv region and in Zhytomyr region under the procedural supervision of Zhytomyr Region Prosecutor’s Office.