Counter-intelligence officers from the Security Service have detained one of Russia’s most covert agents in Kherson, the SBU said in a press release.
The enemy recruited him at the start of the full-scale invasion, but kept him in a so-called “standby mode”.
He turned out to be a former aircraft technician in the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s army aviation who left service in 2018 and, during the occupation of the city in 2022, joined the FSB’s agent network.
After the liberation of the right bank, the enemy left its accomplice in the regional centre, where he remained in “sleeper” mode for a long time.
It has been established that the agent was so important to the Russians that, before fleeing the port city, they enrolled him in the controlled public organisation “Combat Brotherhood” and handed him a firearm. Later, the Russian special service “activated” its agent and tasked him with tracking the locations of Kherson’s defenders, against whom Russia was preparing strikes using guided aerial bombs, drones and rocket artillery.
To carry out the assignment, the suspect used his knowledge of the area and military experience to drive around in his own car and mark defensive sites on a topographic map.
At the same time, he photographed potential “targets” on his phone camera for subsequent reporting to the FSB. SBU officers exposed the agent and detained him red-handed as he was preparing to pass intelligence to his FSB handler after another sortie.
During searches, officers seized a smartphone containing evidence of his work for the enemy, an “award” shotgun from Russia, and pro-Kremlin symbols.
Investigators from the Security Service served the suspect with a notice of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (high treason committed under martial law). The case materials have been sent to court.
The suspect is being held in custody without the right to post bail. He faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.