Two men were detained by the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) in Kyiv and Odesa, who are suspected of preparing attacks on military units of the Defense Forces, energy and telecommunications facilities in three regions.
What is known about the detained Russian agents
According to the investigation, detainees paid particular attention to army units that provide security for the AFU General Staff, as well as data on the Defence Forces in the Poltava region, the Kyiv TV tower, and the capital's CHS [combined heat and power station - Ed.].
The Russian FSB recruited the men. They operated separately from each other and received money from Russia.
According to the investigation, at first the suspects tried to identify the locations of the bases of Ukrainian troops, and then transfer their coordinates to the occupiers in order to adjust the air attacks. In order to gather intelligence, one of the suspects got a job as a freight forwarder in an Odessa company that supplies food products to units of the Defense Forces.
Another man is suspected of collecting data on the technical condition of the Kyiv TV tower after it was shelled in March 2022. The SSU claims that he photographed the exterior of one of the thermal power plants, which provides electricity and heat to a large part of the capital region.
According to the SSU, Russian troops wanted to use this information for missile strikes on the local CHP plant and TV tower.
What is the punishment for the detained agents?
SSU employees took measures to secure the bases of the Defence Forces and strengthened the protection of critical infrastructure. The suspected men were caught on the spot while they were spying for Russian forces.
According to the investigation, one of the suspects is a technological engineer of the Odesa food industry enterprise. The other is a 24-year-old from Kyiv. At the end of January 2024, they were recruited remotely by a personnel agent of the FSB, his identity has already been established, the SSU reports.
During the searches of the detainees' homes, mobile phones with evidence of correspondence with the FSB and bank cards containing Russian funds were seized.
They were informed of the suspicion of treason - the men face life imprisonment.
