"Hunting" for F-16s and Mirage 2000s: SSU has exposed Russian GRU spy network comprising 14 individuals. PHOTOS
A network of Russian military intelligence agents who were spying on F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighter jets has been uncovered.
This was reported by the SSU press service, according to Censor.NET.
Details
The activities of these enemy agents enabled the adversary to plan and carry out attacks on Ukrainian military airfields.
The group recruited by the Russians consisted of 14 people living in various regions of Ukraine.
According to the case file, the group recruited by the enemy comprised 14 people living in various regions of Ukraine.
Initially, the Russian GRU recruited a man from Lviv who administered a Telegram channel about aviation. He came to the attention of the Russians when he posted photographs of Ukrainian Armed Forces fighter jets in pro-Kremlin chat rooms.
The agent secretly enlisted 13 of his subscribers, who possessed high-quality photographic equipment and lived near the Defence Forces’ aviation infrastructure.
"They were to photograph Ukrainian airfields, military aircraft, their crews and technical personnel, as well as record the times of take-offs and landings, ostensibly for the Telegram channel of a Lviv-based blogger.
To do this, the suspects used professional cameras, with which they hid in abandoned buildings or in open areas near airbases.
The photographs taken were stored in an online repository, access to which they had obtained in advance from the agent. He then passed the photographic material on to his handler in the Russian Federation, whose identity has already been established by the Security Service," the statement reads.
The agent also passed on flight schedules for combat helicopters to the Russians. He obtained this intelligence from the commander of a Ukrainian Armed Forces aviation squadron, who provided the information of his own accord.
During searches of the suspects’ homes, smartphones and digital photographic equipment were found containing evidence of working for the enemy, as well as photographs of the Defence Forces’ aviation facilities.
The SBU also blocked four channels and ten thematic groups on Telegram where photographs and other data on the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ aviation units were being disseminated.
The detained agent, his accomplice and a military officer have now been served with notices of suspicion of committing crimes against the foundations of national security.
The investigation is ongoing.
