Ukrainian serviceman recruited by Russia to target 3rd Army Corps commander detained, SBU says
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A Russian agent who helped Moscow attempt to organize "a missile and bomb attack" in the combat zone targeting Andrii Biletskyi, commander of the 3rd Army Corps, was detained, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported on March 13.
"(The SBU and the Ukrainian military leadership) prevented Russia's attempts to eliminate the commander of the 3rd Army Corps of the Defense Forces," the SBU said in a Telegram post.
The 3rd Army Corps had not confirmed the SBU's report as of publication time.
According to the SBU, a drone operator of another brigade, which is carrying out missions in Kharkiv Oblast, was recruited by Russian intelligence officers through his ex-wife, who lives in the Russian-occupied territory of Zaporizhzhia Oblast and works for Russia.
The agent attempted to obtain information about the time and place of Biletskyi's arrival at his unit's position. He was also supposed to leak the location of his brigade's headquarters and training center to Russian intelligence, which would have allowed the Russian military to prepare a separate strike.
To gather intelligence, the suspect used his access to official information and also attempted to secretly obtain classified data from his colleagues, the SBU said.
The SBU reported that its officers acted preemptively and exposed the Russian spy at the very beginning of his espionage activities. The suspect's contacts with Russian handlers were documented in stages, and the locations of Ukraine's Defense Forces were secured, the SBU added.
In the final phase of the special operation, the suspect was detained on garrison premises. The SBU confiscated a phone, which the suspect used to communicate with Russian intelligence officers.
The SBU investigators notified the suspect that he was under suspicion under Part 2 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which is treason committed under martial law.
The suspect is currently in custody. He faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property if convicted.
