Based on the evidence collected by the Security Service and the Prosecutor’s Office, an agent of russia’s federal security service and his accomplice, who were exposed by the SSU in Chernivtsi in October 2024, have received harsher prison sentences.

Initially, the court sentenced the main perpetrator to 15 years’ imprisonment with confiscation of property and his accomplice to 10 years.

However, based on new evidence, the court of appeal has increased the sentences for both convicts: the FSB agent has been sentenced to life imprisonment with confiscation of property, while his accomplice has been sentenced to 12 years in prison.

The FSB’s task was carried out by a former communist party activist from a banned local branch, who had been recruited by the enemy.

The investigation revealed that the perpetrator was operating on two fronts: gathering information on the routes and timings of trains and disseminating kremlin propaganda under the guise of fake ‘people’s power’.

To monitor the movement of rolling stock, the agent travelled around the region, stopping near main lines and railway stations.

There, he recorded locomotive train movements on his mobile phone and reported this to his russian handler via a messaging app.

To gather further intelligence, the traitor enlisted the help of a local draft evader, promising to help him dodge conscription.

Additionally, he spread false information about the Defence Forces among his acquaintances and urged those liable for military service to hide from mobilisation.

According to the investigation, the former communist party member came to the attention of the russian intelligence as early as 2015. After the start of the full-scale war, an FSB officer contacted him via Telegram and recruited him to work for the enemy.

Based on evidence collected by the Security Service, the court found the agent guilty under Article 111.2 of the CCU (high treason, committed under martial law), and his accomplice guilty of unauthorised disclosure of information regarding the movements, deployment or location of the AFU under Article 114-2.3

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