Photo: SBU

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), with the assistance of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky, detained a "mole" of Russian military intelligence, who transmitted plans for special operations of the Defense Forces behind enemy lines, the press service of the SBU reported.

"Military counterintelligence and Security Service investigators, with the assistance of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the commander of the Special Operations Forces (SOF), detained a "disbanded" agent of the Russian military intelligence (better known as the GRU)," the SBU said on Telegram on Friday.

It is reported that the criminal turned out to be a lieutenant colonel, the commander of one of the units of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, whom the occupiers recruited before the start of a full-scale war.

In the spring of 2024, he was remotely "activated" by a staff member of the Russian GRU and defined the task for him: to transmit plans for combat operations of the Defense Forces behind enemy lines.

Most of all, the aggressor was interested in intelligence about sabotage and reconnaissance raids by Ukrainian special forces behind the front line in Zaporizhia, Kherson and Crimean directions. To complete the enemy task, the mole used his official position, thanks to which he received information about the planned routes of movement of soldiers of the Defense Forces, their weapons and "targets." The occupiers planned to use this information to eliminate Ukrainian special forces on the front line or beyond - in the temporarily occupied part of the territory in southern Ukraine. The agent also "leaked" data on other units of the Defense Forces to his Russian supervisor.

As a result of the special operation, the SBU military counterintelligence gradually documented the crimes of the traitor and detained him. At the same time, comprehensive measures were taken to ensure the security of the locations of the Defense Forces.

According to the investigation, the defendant was recruited by the military intelligence of the Russian Federation through his acquaintances in Russia, with whom he kept in touch. During the searches, the detainee's means of secret communication, computer equipment, mobile phone and information storage devices were seized.

The investigators of the Security Service informed him of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (high treason committed under martial law).

The criminal is kept in custody. He faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.

The special operation was carried out jointly with the investigators of Odesa SBU Directorate under the procedural guidance of the prosecutor's office.