In Volyn, the SSU Counterintelligence has detained a Donetsk resident who joined russian armed groupings and fought against Ukraine in February 2022.

The suspect was arrested at the Domanove international road border crossing while trying to enter Ukraine from belarus to renew her Ukrainian passport.

She had hoped that, once her passport had been renewed, she would be able to travel unhindered to a European Union country for permanent residence.

The investigation revealed that before the start of the full-scale war the woman had worked as a nurse at the Donetsk Regional Clinical Psychiatric Hospital.

In late February 2022, she voluntarily joined the 91st separate rifle regiment of the 1st army corps of the Southern military district of the aggressor state.

While serving in the russian army, she was promoted to sergeant and remained in service until August 2024.

After being discharged from the russian armed forces, she decided to leave the temporarily occupied territory of Donetsk region for the EU.

To enter the EU, she needed to renew her Ukrainian passport, which is why she travelled to our country.

The SSU documented her crossing of the state border and detained her at a hotel in Kovel, where she was temporarily staying.

A search revealed her to be in possession of a russian passport, military service IDs from the russian armed forces and a veteran’s ID from the aggressor state, as well as russian roubles.

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

The suspect is in custody without bail and faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.

The operational and investigative actions were carried out by the SSU Office in the Volyn region jointly with the State Border Guard Service under the procedural supervision of the Specialised Defence Prosecutor’s Office in the Western Region.