Counterintelligence operatives together with the Main Investigation Directorate of the SBU Security Service of Ukraine have apprehended an asset of Russian "GRU" military intelligence, who is an employee of one of Ukroboronprom's defense enterprises.
The Zaporizhia-based culprit was detained as he was traveling to the Russian city of Voronezh to meet with his supervisor, according to the SBU's press center.
Security operatives learned that the man had been recruited in 2014 in the temporarily annexed territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea by a GRU operative based on material interest and general support for the ideas of the "Russian world" concept.
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The SBU has documented that the Russian intelligence asset received monetary reward for gathering intelligence data on defense companies' operations as well as the social and political situation in Zaporizhia region. He would send the intelligence gathered via electronic communication channels, which had been set up out by the GRU operative, as well as handed materials over during personal meetings in the territory of the Russian Federation, Belarus, and the temporarily annexed Crimea.
The SBU agents detained the man as he was crossing out with intelligence materials on him. A micro-SD card was seized which contained intelligence information collected to be handed to the Russian side.
The perpetrator has been served with charge papers under Part 1 of Article 111 (high treason) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and put into custody for the next 60 days.
Pretrial investigation is underway.
