The SSU Counterintelligence has apprehended two agents of russia’s military intelligence (‘the GRU’), who operated in Kyiv, Chernihiv and Sumy regions. They were preparing a series of russian air attacks on high-voltage power lines to cut off electricity supply to part of Ukraine’s northern oblasts.

According to the investigation, the perpetrators travelled to the area and recorded the geolocations of potential targets.

To help enemy evade Ukrainian air defences, the agents had to identify and pass to the occupiers the coordinates of the AFU radar stations.

The SSU Counterintelligence uncovered both agents at an early stage, documented their crimes and detained them at their homes in Kyiv.

The aggressor’s accomplices are a 27-year-old paralegal at a local law firm and his friend, a 25-year-old unemployed man.

In 2024, they were looking for ‘quick money’ on Telegram channels, where they were later recruited by the GRU.

To collect intelligence, the individuals travelled around three regions of Ukraine at once. When they found the locations, they took photos of them using special software that marked the coordinates, date and time of the photograph.

It was documented how the spies remotely coordinated their actions with several handlers from the russian special service, constantly changing SIM cards and phones to conceal this communication.

During the searches, the SSU seized computer equipment and eight mobile phones with evidence of cooperation with the russian military intelligence.

SSU investigators served the detainees notices of suspicion under Article 111.2 of the CCU – high treason, committed under martial law.

The suspects are in custody and face life imprisonment with confiscation of property.

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