SBU detains man alleged of supplying Russians with materials for anti-tank defenses

A Ukrainian man who allegedly supplied Russia with building materials used for anti-tank “dragon’s teeth” defenses has been detained in Kyiv, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) said on April 1.

The man is said to have sent sand, crushed stone and cement to Russian companies which they then turned into the pyramid-shaped “dragon’s teeth” fortifications used by both sides to obstruct the progress of armored vehicles on the front lines.

In a post on Telegram, the SBU said he was the owner of several businesses in Berdiansk, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and began cooperating with the Russian forces after they occupied it in the opening days of the full-scale invasion.

He later moved to Kyiv, allegedly leaving his management team there and running the businesses remotely according to Russian legislation.

“After that, they began to regularly replenish the budget of the aggressor country in the form of paying ‘taxes’ to it,” the SBU said, adding documents to support the allegations were found during a search of his home.

He has been charged with conducting economic activities in cooperation with the “aggressor state."

The SBU regularly detains Ukrainians accused of working on behalf of Russia – last week two men were accused of helping Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) plan missile strikes on military installations and communications infrastructure including the Kyiv TV tower.

In February, five individuals including former and current officials of Ukraine's intelligence services, were accused of working for the FSB in various regions of Ukraine.

The suspects were allegedly tasked with passing intelligence about Ukraine's military and strategically important energy facilities to the FSB.
They were managed by an FSB handler based in Russian-occupied Crimea, the SBU said.