The SSU Counterintelligence has apprehended an agent of russia’s GRU in Zakarpattia. He turned out to be an employee of a local factory, recruited by the enemy to spy on businesses fulfilling defence contracts in western Ukraine.

The traitor tracked the addresses of such companies and gathered intelligence on the types and volumes of their products.

The perpetrator also compiled ‘files’ on employees of these facilities, including their personal data and work schedules.

Available information suggests that the GRU intended to use this intelligence to plan airstrikes on Ukrainian defence industry plants and to carry out terrorist attacks against company officials, particularly design engineers.

To fulfil the enemy’s task, the agent covertly solicited intelligence from his former colleagues who now work at several Ukrainian defence enterprises.

During these conversations, the suspect acted under the pretext of ‘learning from best practices’ and expressed professional interest in the latest developments in the defence industry and the specialists involved.

The investigation revealed that he passed the collected information to the russian military intelligence via his father, who lives in Kaliningrad and collaborates with the russian intelligence.

The plan was for the asset to secure a position at another defence enterprise in order to gather more information for russia.

During targeted russian attacks on the agent’s coordinates, his handlers promised to evacuate him from the potential strike zone in advance. He expected to receive code words from them via a messaging app to this end.

However, the SSU Counterintelligence acted pre-emptively and prevented the mole from being hired at a defence industry enterprise. Simultaneously, action was taken to protect Ukraine’s defence facilities.

During the final stage of the special operation, the agent was arrested at his home. Mobile phones containing evidence of his work for the enemy were found during a search of his home.

The enemy accomplice was also found in possession of weapons and ammunition, the origin of which is currently being investigated.

SSU investigators notified the detainee of suspicion under Article 111.2 of the CCU (high treason, committed under martial law).

The suspect faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.

The operation was carried out by the SSU Office in Zakarpattia region under the procedural supervision of the regional Prosecutor’s Office.