The SSU Counterintelligence has detained a russian citizen who carried out espionage on behalf of the GRU (russian military intelligence). The perpetrator tracked the locations of the Defence Forces, which the enemy was preparing to attack with missiles and drones.

The investigation established that the russian had a permanent residence permit in Ukraine and was spying under the cover of a welder in a private company in Dnipropetrovsk oblast.

During work trips to various regions of Ukraine, he identified coordinates of Ukrainian troops. Among the sites he was ‘interested’ in were air defence units, checkpoints, and airfields of the Defence Forces in Dnipropetrovsk region and in western Ukraine.

The spy marked the locations of identified installations on Google Maps to ‘report’ to the GRU.

It has been documented that while in western Ukraine, the individual attempted to locate airfields with Ukrainian combat aircraft.

The SSU Counterintelligence had been keeping an eye on this russian since the beginning of his espionage activities. This made it possible not only to document his crimes, but also to protect all the locations that the suspect had scouted.

The suspect was detained at his home in Kirovohrad region.

According to the investigation, the asset was recruited by the GRU through an old acquaintance who cooperates with the ruscists in the temporarily occupied territory of Zaporizhzhia region.

A smartphone with evidence of his work for the enemy was seized during the search.

Investigators of the Security Service have notified the detainee of suspicion under Article 114-2.3 of the CCU (unauthorised dissemination of information on movement or deployment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, committed under martial law).

The suspect is in custody and faces up to 12 years in prison.

The operation was carried out under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor General’s Office.