A Spy Who Leaked Data on Defense Plants Through His Father in Russia Was Detained in Zakarpattia

The SSU’s counterintelligence unit detained a Russian military intelligence agent in Zakarpattia who was gathering information on defense industry enterprises in western Ukraine.

The Security Service of Ukraine reported this.

The liaison between him and the aggressor country’s intelligence service was his biological father, who resides in Kaliningrad.

According to the investigation, the 34-year-old Kharkiv resident secured employment at a local defense plant, where he gained access to internal information.

He collected data on product ranges and volumes for the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as the locations of production workshops, warehouses, and administrative buildings. He was also interested in information about the plant’s security system, the number of security guards, and the procedures for storing and transporting products off the premises.

In addition, the suspect collected personal data on defense industry employees, primarily leading design engineers.

The Zakarpattia Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that the suspect did not limit his activities to this region alone. His “activities” extended to other defense enterprises in the Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Volyn regions.

​To collect data, the suspect also utilized his former colleagues from other defense enterprises. Under the pretext of “professional interest” and “learning from experience,” he covertly extracted information from them about the latest Ukrainian developments.

It has been established that he passed the information he collected to his father, who collaborates with Russian military intelligence.

According to the SSU, the aggressor planned to use the obtained information to prepare airstrikes against Ukrainian defense enterprises, as well as possible terrorist attacks against industry workers. Subsequently, the agent was to be employed at another enterprise in the defense industry to continue gathering information.

“In addition, during targeted Russian attacks on the agent’s coordinates, his handlers promised to evacuate him from the potential strike zone in advance. To do this, he expected to receive code words from them via a messaging app,” the SSU stated.

The suspect was detained at his place of residence. During a search, mobile phones containing evidence of collaboration with the enemy were seized, as well as weapons and ammunition, the origin of which is being determined. He was notified of the suspicion of high treason. The penalty under this article provides for life imprisonment with confiscation of property.