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SBU intercepts large-scale FSB saboteur network across Ukraine

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SBU intercepts large-scale FSB saboteur network across Ukraine
A suspected spy accused of working for Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) who was detained by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on Aug. 5, 2024. (Security Service of Ukraine)

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said on Aug. 5 that it had intercepted a "large-scale" sabotage network organized by Russia's Federal Security Service, which was operating across at least six oblasts and involved two Ukrainian government officials.

According to the SBU, the network consisted of nine individuals who were simultaneously arrested in Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, Kirovohrad, Donetsk, and Odesa oblasts.

One of those detained is a member of the Dnipro City Council and another is an official in the city council of Yuzhne, a town in Odesa Oblast.

The individuals in question are accused of scouting the locations of critical infrastructure and Ukrainian military positions and then sharing the details with their Russian handlers.

The suspects have been charged with treason and face life in prison if convicted, the SBU said.

6 detained in Odesa for allegedly setting fire to military vehicles on Russia’s orders
A group of Odesa residents, aged 18 to 24, allegedly acted on the order of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB). The suspects made contact with Russia via Telegram channels while looking for “easy money,” according to the SBU.
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Nate Ostiller

News Editor

Nate Ostiller is a former News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. He works on special projects as a researcher and writer for The Red Line Podcast, covering Eastern Europe and Eurasia, and focused primarily on digital misinformation, memory politics, and ethnic conflict. Nate has a Master’s degree in Russian and Eurasian Studies from the University of Glasgow, and spent two years studying abroad at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Ukraine. Originally from the USA, he is currently based in Tbilisi, Georgia.

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