The Security Service of Ukraine reported that it detained the largest network of Russian agents specializing in the "hunt" for F-16s in Ukraine, UNN reports.
The SBU Military Counterintelligence neutralized a large-scale agent network of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces (known as the Gru). The offenders were spying on the Defense Forces in 5 regions of Ukraine at once. As a result of the special operation, 12 Russian agents and their informants were exposed. Some of them were deserters who had left the Armed Forces without permission and were recruited by the Russian secret service while hiding from justice
Reportedly, the members of the hostile cell acted separately from each other and were focused on the resident (head) of the agent group, who was located in Dnipropetrovs'k region. For conspiracy, he used fake "cover documents" such as a fake "volunteer certificate" and "anti-corruption activist," the SBU said.
As indicated, he involved accomplices from Zaporizhzhia, as well as Kharkiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv and Odesa regions in cooperation with the aggressor.
In these regions, the defendants reconnoitered the firing positions of Ukrainian air defense, tried to identify the locations of secret military airfields where, according to the racists, F-16s could be based
A separate task of the enemy agents, according to the SBU, was to "establish the addresses of companies involved in the production of electronic warfare equipment against Russian drones.
To obtain intelligence, the defendants, as noted by the SBU, used their acquaintances, in particular the Ukrainian military, who were stationed in the frontline regions of Ukraine. "In case of receiving preliminary information, the agents went to the area to conduct additional reconnaissance near potential targets. At first, the members of the agent group "reported" to the resident, and then he passed the information to his Russian curator," the SBU said.
"The SBU military counterintelligence exposed the entire enemy cell in advance, detained the organizer and served him with a notice of suspicion to his key accomplices. The issue of serving suspicion notices to other members of the network is currently being decided," the SBU said.
During the searches, cell phones, flash drives, military documents and forged IDs were reportedly seized from them.
The detainees were served suspicion notices under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:
◾️ part 2 of Article 111 (high treason committed under martial law);
◾️ part 2 of Article 114-2 (unauthorized dissemination of information on the movement, movement or location of the AFU).
Comprehensive measures are underway to bring to justice other members of the Russian agent network. The offenders face 8 years in prison to life imprisonment with confiscation of property.