Ukraine nabs Russian agent trying to enroll in its drone school
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBUkr) has arrested and detained a suspect, name withheld, believed to be a member of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) secret agency that attempted to enroll in the country’s drone school in Kyiv, according to a statement from the special service that was published on its official Telegram channel.
The suspected was accused of gathering important information on special units from Ukraine’s unmanned aerial vehicle formations.
According to information provided by The Daily Digest, the Russian agent allegedly received an assignment from a handler earlier in the year.
He was tasked with joining Ukraine’s drone army school in Kyiv so that he could collect information on training grounds.
“After gaining admission to the institution, his mission was to identify the locations of the training grounds of the Defense Forces,” the report from the Security Service of Ukraine read.
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But that wasn’t the agent’s only task as the suspect was also tasked with uncovering the location of current drone bases.
Reports say that Russian intelligence was looking for information on where Ukrainian cadets were trained on the use of both attack and reconnaissance drones.
The Security Service of Ukraine reported the intelligence from the now-detained suspect was intended to be used in upcoming air strikes against facilities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and Security Services.
Further investigation revealed that the suspect also walked the streets of Kyiv and recorded the defensive positions of the city’s soldiers.
This information will later be passed along to Russia and if it proved helpful the agent will be rewarded for his help.
“In the event of successful completion of hostile missions, the Russian infiltrators ‘guaranteed’ their agent a monetary reward, which was to be transferred to his bank account,” the Security Service report reads.
The Security Service of Ukraine reported the 49-year-old businessman was recruited by Russian intelligence remotely roughly two months prior to his arrest.
He was apparently picked because of his anti-Ukrainian activity on Telegram wherein communication with his handler took place through anonymous chat function in the app.
“He came to the attention of the aggressor due to his anti-Ukrainian posts on a Russian Telegram channel.
“Subsequent communication occurred through an anonymous messenger chat,” the Security Service report noted based on a Kyiv Post translation.
Report shows that a search of the suspect’s property revealed bank cards and computer equipment used in his operation.
The 49-year-old now faces treason charges according to the Security Service and he is looking at life in prison for his crimes if found guilty.
The man is one of several agents in Russian employ that have been caught in the last few months, a worrying sign for a nation fighting for its freedom from Russia.
The Telegraph noted two Kyiv residents were arrested in September for allegedly giving Russia information to guide missile attacks against the city.
The problem, however, seems more widespread than suggested as Ukraine’s Security Service Telegram is filled with reports of collaborators that have been caught. Read more.
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