The Security Service of Ukraine has noted an increase in the efforts of russian intelligence services to recruit Ukrainians. The enemy has increased the number of so-called false flag operations: ruscists pose as Ukrainian law enforcement officers and, under various pretexts, force citizens to prepare arson attacks, terrorist attacks, and sabotage.

During such operations, russians:

• call or write to people and introduce themselves as officers of the SSU, Defence Intelligence, NABU, National Police, other law enforcement agencies;
• ⁠⁠use dating sites to obtain personal data;
• blackmail people with criminal liability for an offence (e.g., for supposedly ‘purchasing medications on russian websites’);
• demand money for closing ‘criminal proceedings’, which do not actually exist;
• incite to carry out arson attacks on administrative buildings, Defence Forces vehicles, etc.

Representatives of the aggressor state may directly contact Ukrainian citizens by phone and pose as ‘law enforcement officers’ or use other covers and approaches.

In particular, the enemy first sends Ukrainians fake ‘summonses’ via messenger apps, demanding that they appear before an SSU investigator or other Ukrainian law enforcement agency due to ‘an open criminal proceeding’. After that, russian intelligence services contact the citizen by phone, posing as ‘a Ukrainian law enforcement officer’, and offer assistance in ‘closing the criminal case’. In return, the person must perform the tasks assigned.

The occupiers also exploit online dating services for recruitment. Representatives of enemy intelligence services create fake female accounts, communicate with Ukrainian men, and lure out their personal data and contacts. Subsequently, a russian handler contacts the man, posing as an ‘officer of the Security Service of Ukraine’, and accuses him of cooperating with russia. The reason is communication with a girl supposedly ‘connected with the enemy intelligence service’. To evade liability, the person is offered cooperation.

Citizens recruited in this way are forced to commit various illegal acts: surveil a person, transfer a package from one address to another, purchase chemical elements and manufacture an improvised explosive device, set fire to a Defence Forces vehicle or administrative building, prepare a terrorist attack or act of sabotage, etc.

The Security Service of Ukraine once again calls on citizens to practice information hygiene and be cautious when contacting unknown individuals. Please note that the SSU operates exclusively within Ukrainian legislation. Representatives of the Service do not set any questionable ‘tasks’.

If you receive offers via online services, social networks, messengers, or other means to commit arson, transport unknown items, surveil people or transport, or carry out other suspicious activities, please report this immediately to the Security Service of Ukraine:

Chatbot Burn the FSB-man: t.me/spaly_fsb_bot

Tel.: 0 800 501 482

Email: callcenter@ssu.gov.ua