The SBU neutralised a Russian agent network operating in Mykolayiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Ivano-Frankivsk Regions. The attackers were spying on the Defence Forces and critical infrastructure facilities.
This was reported by the SBU press centre.
As a result of a special operation in Mykolayiv, two members of a hostile cell coordinated by two Russian special services were detained: The FSB and the military intelligence of Russia.
"One of the detainees is a local law enforcement officer who has been in contact with the resident (head) of the Russian agent group, a former official of the disbanded police force, Andriy Shevchenko, since 2015," the statement said.
At the direction of Shevchenko, his agent in Mykolayiv collected data on the locations and movements of the Armed Forces units in the Region. The defendant also tried to establish the locations of strategic enterprises of the defence industry and "reported" to Russians on personnel decisions in the law enforcement agencies of Ukraine.
In order to obtain intelligence, the traitor used his official position and also sought information from his colleagues under the guise of "friendly conversations".
The resident also involved his father, a resident of Mykolayiv, who used to work in the disbanded police force, in intelligence activities. Using his coordinates, Russian military repeatedly shelled one of the energy facilities in Ivano-Frankivsk Region.
Another task of this agent was to search for potential candidates for recruitment, in particular among former and current law enforcement officers and military personnel in Mykolayiv Region.
During the searches, mobile phones, computer equipment, draft records and documents with evidence of crimes were seized from the detainees. Russian symbols and rubles were also found.
SBU investigators served the detained agents a notice of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code (high treason committed under martial law). They are currently in custody. They face life imprisonment with confiscation of property.
In addition, Shevchenko, a resident of the agent group, was served with a notice of suspicion in absentia under the same article of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.