Counterintelligence officers of the SBU apprehended a spy working for Russian intelligence in the Poltava, Cherkasy, and Kirovohrad regions. This criminal was preparing new airstrikes against these areas.
The investigation revealed that the main task of the spy was to identify operational airfields of the Defense Forces and air defense systems and relay their coordinates.
According to the case materials, the recruited agent was an 18-year-old technical college student from Poltava. He caught the attention of Russian special services while searching for «easy earnings» on Telegram channels.
To gather intelligence, the young man «traveled» through central regions of Ukraine, secretly photographing potential targets and the aftermath of enemy shelling.
In the event of discovering an aviation object, the agent planned to set up «beacons» around the perimeter for the occupiers.
With the help of spying devices, the enemy hoped to track the presence of air bases and the location of mobile fire groups of air defense for planned strikes.
SBU officers detected the agent in advance and apprehended him before he could set up the spying device.
During searches, a smartphone containing evidence of contacts with his handler and mini-cameras for adjusting Russian airstrikes were seized from him.
Investigation officers of the Security Service informed the suspect of charges under Part 2 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (high treason committed under martial law).
The criminal is in custody without the right to bail. He faces life imprisonment with property confiscation. Comprehensive measures were conducted by SBU employees in the Poltava region under the procedural guidance of the regional prosecutor's office.