Counterintelligence of the Security Service of Ukraine neutralized an espionage network of the main directorate of the Russian General Staff, which was operating in the Kharkiv and Zhytomyr regions. As a result of the special operation, three agents of Russian military intelligence were detained, including a citizen of Russia.
At the direction of the occupiers, their associates collected information about the locations and movements of the Ukrainian Defense Forces in both regions.
They also covertly tracked data on Russian air attacks on local critical and social infrastructure objects and then sent "reports" of possible "flyovers" to the GRU.
All the information gathered by the agents was transmitted to the resident (senior) of the enemy group who was located in Belgorod. This resident turned out to be an unofficial non-staff representative of the 74th intelligence center of the Russian GRU.
The obtained data were further relayed to their "handler," a career officer of Russian military intelligence.
The intelligence information was needed by the occupiers to prepare and carry out targeted strikes against Ukrainian objects.
SSU counterintelligence identified the whereabouts of the Russian agents and apprehended them in their own residences.
According to the investigation, the detainees are local residents who were recruited by Russian military intelligence prior to the full-scale invasion by Russia.
They came into the sights of the Russian intelligence services during several trips to the territory of Russia, where they were recruited.
After February 24, 2022, Russian intelligence "activated" its agents and began regular communication sessions with them through messaging apps.
