Based on evidence collected by the Security Service of Ukraine, two agents of russian military intelligence (‘the GRU’), detained by the SSU in December 2022 while adjusting attacks on Odesa, have each been sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment and confiscation of property.

The main targets of these spotters were Ukrainian air defence positions and army logistics depots.

The investigation revealed that a russian citizen who had previously participated in hostilities in Chechnya and later relocated to Odesa was responsible for directing the russian missile strikes.

He had been recruited by the GRU before the start of the full-scale war to carry out reconnaissance and sabotage activities against Ukraine.

He enlisted his wife, a former resident of russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region, to collaborate with the russian military intelligence.

Following 24 February 2022, the GRU activated its agents to direct missile strikes against the port city.

To carry out russia’s orders, the spy couple attempted to recruit a Ukrainian serviceman to obtain coordinates of Ukrainian air defence missile systems and logistics centres.

The perpetrators also covertly elicited information from acquaintances during casual conversations.

They marked the gathered data on Google Maps and passed it to russia via a GRU ‘liaison’.

Based on evidence collected by the SSU, the court found the agents guilty under Articles 28.2 and 114.1 of the CCU – espionage committed by a group of persons through prior conspiracy.

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