A former employee of the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) has been arrested on suspicion of working with Russian military intelligence (GRU) to help target drone strikes on the facility's power lines, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced on May 13.
According to the SBU, the man was to assist strikes on high-voltage power lines that connect the Rivne NPP in Rivne Oblast with the Kyiv Oblast power facilities, supplying electricity to the capital and the surrounding area.
The suspect quit his job at the Rivne NPP before the full-scale war began. In the spring of 2025, a GRU liaison contacted him and offered cooperation in exchange for money.
The suspect tried to install a GPS tracker on one of the main power line's poles. To approach the facility unnoticed, he allegedly scouted the locations of Ukrainian troops guarding the NPP.
The man was detained when trying to activate a tracking module, the SBU said.
The suspect's mobile phone, which reportedly contained incriminating messages with Russian security services, was seized.
The suspect has been detained and charged under Part 2 of the Art. 113 (sabotage committed under martial law) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
He is in custody and faces life imprisonment and property confiscation if convicted.
Chris York,
(Updated: )
