GRU agent convicted in Dnipro region: how Telegram became an espionage tool for him
16 October 21:51
A court in Dnipropetrovs’k region has sentenced an agent of the Russian GRU who spied on Ukrainian military airfields and passed on data on aircraft movements to the enemy. The man was sentenced to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports, citing the Security Service of Ukraine.
Recruitment via Telegram and the activities of an agent
The investigation found that a 42-year-old resident of the region, who worked as a handyman, came to the attention of Russian special services through one of the pro-Russian Telegram channels. On this platform, he published comments in support of Russian aggression against Ukraine, after which he was recruited by representatives of Russian military intelligence.
The main tasks of the agent were to collect and transmit the coordinates of military airfields, as well as to monitor the frequency and directions of flights of Ukrainian aircraft in the region. The occupiers used the collected data to adjust missile and drone strikes on the territory of Dnipropetrovs’k region.
Evidence and sentence
The offender was detained in March 2023 while trying to transfer a new batch of intelligence to his handlers. Law enforcement officers seized his mobile devices and evidence of the transfer of military facility coordinates.
The court found the man guilty under several articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:
- ч. 2 of Art. 111 – high treason committed under martial law;
- ч. 2 of Article 114-2 – dissemination of information about the movement or location of the Armed Forces of Ukraine;
- ч. 1, 3 of Art. 436-2 – justification or denial of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation and glorification of its participants.
The investigation was conducted by the SBU Office in Dnipro region under the supervision of the Regional Prosecutor’s Office.
Context
The recording of such cases demonstrates the active work of Russian special services in the rear regions of Ukraine, in particular through information platforms. According to law enforcement officials, Telegram remains one of the main tools for recruiting agents, which poses a serious threat to the state’s defense security.
Military experts note that such cases demonstrate the growing role of counterintelligence in protecting critical infrastructure, including military facilities and industrial enterprises in the region, which are often targeted by Russian attacks.
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