The SSU Military Counterintelligence and investigators, with the assistance of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the SOF Commander, apprehended an activated agent of russia’s military intelligence (‘the GRU’).

The traitor is a lieutenant colonel, commander of one of the units of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who was recruited by russia before the start of a full-scale war.

In the spring of 2024, he was remotely ‘activated’ by a russian GRU officer and was given a task: to pass to the ruscists the plans of Defense Forces combat operations behind enemy lines.

The aggressor was interested in intelligence on sabotage and reconnaissance raids by Ukrainian special forces behind the front line in Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Crimea.

To fulfill the GRU orders, the mole used his official position: he had information about the planned routes of movement of the Defense Forces, their weapons and targets.

The occupiers intended to use the intelligence to eliminate Ukrainian SOF personnel on the front line or beyond - on the temporarily occupied part of southern Ukraine.

The agent also provided information about other Defense Forces units to his russian handler.

The SSU Military Counterintelligence documented the traitor’s crimes and detained him.

Action was taken to protect the locations of Ukrainian units.

According to the investigation, the officer was recruited by the GRU through his acquaintances in russia, with whom he kept in touch.

During the searches, the SSU seized means of covert communication, computer equipment, a mobile phone and data storage devices from the suspect.

SSU investigators notified him 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.

The operation was carried out jointly with the SSU Odesa Office investigators under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor’s Office.