The SSU Counterintelligence and investigators have documented the activities of a GRU (russian military intelligence) officer Marat Tsevelev. As the investigation established, he coordinated the preparation of russian missile and drone attacks on Prykarpattia region in January of this year.

At that time, the enemy identified the Burshtyn Thermal Power Plant, defence facilities, and one of the key power substations in the western region as the main ‘targets’ of the shelling.

To help guide the airstrikes, Tsevelev recruited a 17-year-old graduate of a local technical college. The girl caught his attention while seeking ‘easy money’ on Telegram.

Following his instructions, she first conducted reconnaissance near the Burshtyn Thermal Power Plant and the main power substation to assess the technical condition of the energy facilities after previous attacks.

She was then tasked with taking photos and videos of a defence facility and marking its geolocation on Google Maps.

Afterward, Tsevelev instructed the asset to compile the gathered information and send it to him via a messaging app.

The SSU uncovered the hostile reconnaissance activity and documented the agent’s communications with her handler.

Earlier this year, the SSU apprehended the suspect while she was photographing a military installation. A smartphone containing evidence of the crimes was seized from her at the scene.

As established by the investigation, Marat Tsevelev serves in the 317^th naval special operations forces centre of the russian navy in the temporarily occupied city of Sevastopol.

It has been established that this unit of the GRU, with the help of agent networks and informants, collects information to identify targets for missile and bomb strikes on Ukrainian territory using naval, air, and ground-based weapons.

Based on the evidence gathered, SSU investigators notified Tsevelev in absentia of suspicion under Article 114.1 of the CCU (espionage).

The indictment against his agent has been sent to court under Article 111.2 of the CCU – high treason, committed under martial law.

The investigation was carried out by the SSU Office in Ivano-Frankivsk Region under the procedural supervision of the regional Prosecutor’s Office.