An enemy agent, who was collecting intelligence on Ukraine’s Defence Forces on the eastern front, was caught when trying to escape from Ukraine.

After carrying out an enemy assignment in Donetsk region, the perpetrator went to Vinnytsia oblast, from which he tried to cross into unrecognized Transnistria.

The SSU apprehended the suspect as he was preparing to cross the border river using a wetsuit and scuba fins.

The detained individual is a resident of Dnipropetrovsk region, who graduated from moscow state university with a law degree in mid-2000s.

According to the investigation, the man came to the attention of the russian intelligence during his time at the university. Then, he returned to Ukraine and did not carry out any assignments for russia for a while.

This changed after the full-scale invasion. In 2023, he applied to the local military enlistment office and joined one of the brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The serviceman was later deployed to Ukrainian positions near Bakhmut.

After arriving at the frontline in Donetsk region, the traitor began to pass information to the occupiers with locations and movements of Ukrainian military.

He provided the data to a chatbot administered by the russian military intelligence.

After several sessions of communication with the russian service, the enemy asset, realizing the inevitability of punishment, left the area where his unit was based.

He took a taxi to the border in Vinnytsia region, planning to cross to the unrecognized Transnistria and hide from justice.

The SSU has notified the detained agent of suspicion under two Articles of the CCU:

• 111.2 (high treason, committed under martial law);
• 408.4 (desertion).

The suspect is in custody and faces life imprisonment.

The operation was carried out by the SSU Vinnytsia Office jointly with the State Border Guard Service under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor’s Office.