Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) cyber specialists exposed another two Russian FSB (Federal Security Service of Russia) agents who, following the enemy's instructions, collected intelligence on the deployment and movement of Ukrainian defenders in the Tavriysk area. They also informed the occupiers about the critical infrastructure locations in Odesa and Kherson, the SBU press centre reports.
First and foremost, the Russians were interested in the exact coordinates of local Ukrzaliznytsya facilities and energy-generating enterprises. The invaders planned to use this information to prepare and conduct a series of targeted missile strikes on Ukrainian cities.
"However, the SBU officers were proactive - they timely exposed, located and detained both offenders in their attempts to pass intelligence to the invaders," the SBU said.
One of the Russian agents was detained near the central railway station in Kherson, and the other in Odesa after covertly photographing a military facility.
The aggressor's accomplices were two locals who were recruited by the Russian secret service after the start of the full-scale invasion. Both of them were in constant agent communication with a staff member of the FSB department in Rostov Region with the pseudonym "Buba Kastorskyy". It was from him that the Russian agents received their assignments.
During the searches, the detainees' smartphones were found to contain evidence of covert correspondence with an FSB representative. They used an anonymous Telegram channel to communicate.
Currently, both detainees have been served a notice of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code (high treason committed under martial law). The court imposed a measure of restraint in the form of detention.
The offenders face up to 15 years in prison or life imprisonment with confiscation of property.