Network of Russian Agents is Neutralized in Kharkiv – SSU 

The Security Service of Ukraine neutralized an agent network of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (commonly known as GRU – editor’s note). The suspects worked in Kharkiv oblast and directed Russian attacks on the city.

Vladyslav Abdula, a spokesman for the SSU Office in the Kharkiv region, reported about the case on his Facebook. 

According to the investigation, the suspects collected intelligence on locations of fortified districts of the region and travel routes for the AFU’s military cargo (including military equipment transported via trains). 

“Among other things, one of the special assignments for the adversary’s agent network was collecting kompromat (compromising evidence, – e/n) connected to Ukrainian soldiers serving in the frontline districts of the region. The Russian intelligence focused the most on people who currently work in the local draft offices and military medical commissions,” said Abdula. 

The SSU explained that Russia needs information of this kind to try to turn these people to their side and to prepare special information operations against Ukraine. 

The suspects also tracked the online information about the consequences of Russian attacks against Kharkiv and then searched for locations of “hits” to document them and send “reports” to occupiers, Abdula added. 

The SSU detained these people and issued them suspicions. According to the investigation, the group was coordinated by the former Kharkiv local who moved to Russia at the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion.  

He recruited four acquaintances who also lived in the city. Among them were a taxi driver and a local gas supply company worker, who drove around Kharkiv and documented the places where the AFU was based or “addresses” of Russian airstrikes, the SSU reported. 

After collecting information, they sent it to their boss in Russia, and he delivered it to his GRU “curator.” 

While searching suspects’ apartments, the SSU uncovered computers and cellphones the suspects used to conduct intelligence- and sabotage-related activities against Ukraine. The SSU also confiscated three grenades from them. 

As of today, investigators issued a suspicion to three of those people under Part 2 of Art. 28 and Part 2 of Art. 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (a state treason committed under martial law by prior conspiracy by a group of persons). Another one has received a suspicion under Part 1 of Art. 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal handling of ammunition). 

Right now, the SSU is trying to determine the identity of other agents of the group and hold accountable a group member who hides in Russia. 

Note: According to Article 63 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and shall not be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven through legal procedure and confirmed by a court verdict.

Read more

• A Kupiansk resident suspected of collaboration detained; he collected fingerprints from pro-Ukrainian citizens — Prosecutor’s Office
• Security Services issued a suspicion notice to a man who tried to suppress resistance in the occupied parts of the Kharkiv Oblast.

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