A Ukrainian woman was sentenced to life in prison for treason for providing the Russian military with photographs of strategic sites in Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported on Oct. 13.
The woman was caught in the act in March 2023 by the SBU while taking pictures of a factory in Kirovohrad Oblast.
Investigators later discovered that she had been traveling around the region taking photos of different factories and industrial sites. Her primary targets were Ukrainian defense plants and oil refining infrastructure.
The woman was then sending the photos to a Russian soldier, who in turn sent them to a contact in Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB). She was allegedly recruited remotely by the FSB shortly after the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
Investigators determined that an undisclosed number of Russian strikes could be directly connected to photos that she had sent to her handler.
In mid-August, the SBU arrested a woman in Odesa for spying in a similar set of circumstances. She was suspected of informing the Russian military of arms deliveries, the deployment of Ukrainian troops, and the location of military facilities in the region. The woman was charged with treason and could also face life in prison.
Daria Shulzhenko
(Updated: )
