Kathrine Frich
Wartime investigations continue to reveal how intelligence battles are fought far from the front lines.
Ukrainian authorities say covert activity inside the country’s own institutions remains a persistent threat.
A new detention shows how those risks can emerge from unexpected places.
Counterintelligence arrest
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) said on Dec. 17 that it detained a serving Ukrainian soldier accused of spying for Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).
According to the SBU, the suspect had been operating while officially serving in Ukraine’s armed forces.
The man is accused of helping Russian intelligence coordinate missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian military infrastructure, including facilities storing ammunition and drones.
SBU officers detained the suspect at his workplace following a military counterintelligence operation, the agency said.
Sensitive targets
According to the SBU, the detainee headed a medical unit within the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Investigators allege he transmitted geolocation data of warehouses later targeted by Russian strikes in Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Chernihiv regions.
The SBU said the FSB also sought information about medical supply depots and vehicle fleets used to deliver equipment to Ukrainian troops at the front.
“These facilities play a key role in supporting the Defense Forces,” the SBU said in its statement.
Method and motive
Investigators allege the suspect gathered intelligence while traveling to military units and logistics bases in northern Ukraine under the pretext of routine work trips.
While on site, he allegedly marked locations on Google Maps before passing the data to his Russian handler.
In return, the FSB promised financial compensation and offered to evacuate the suspect to relatives in Russia, according to the SBU.
The agency said Russian intelligence recruited the suspect through Telegram channels that promoted messages urging Ukrainians to surrender.
Charges filed
During searches, law enforcement officers seized a smartphone and laptop allegedly used to communicate with the FSB.
The SBU said it also took steps to secure military sites that may have been compromised.
The suspect has been charged under Part 2 of Article 111 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code, which covers treason committed under martial law. If convicted, he faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.
Sources: Security Service of Ukraine, KyivIndependent.
