Ukraine detains soldier accused of helping Russia target brigade commander
Ukrainian authorities detained a mobilized soldier in Mykolaiv on suspicion of working for Russia's FSB and preparing to provide coordinates for a missile strike on an Air Assault Forces brigade headquarters. The suspect also allegedly disclosed information about troop locations, drone launch and storage sites, and ammunition storage. He was placed in custody without the possibility of bail.
Key points
- The mobilized soldier was detained at a military unit in Mykolaiv on 12 November.
- He allegedly served as a brigade driver and used his position to gather information about command locations.
- The FSB allegedly ordered him to provide real-time coordinates of the brigade headquarters for a Russian missile strike.
- Sources in law-enforcement agencies identified the possible target as Eduard Kolodii, commander of the 79th Separate Air Assault Brigade.
- The suspect also allegedly passed information on troop deployments, drone launch and storage sites, and ammunition storage.
- Authorities said they secured the intended targets before the suspect could transmit the information needed for an attack.
- A smartphone containing communications with an FSB handler was seized during the operation.
Why it matters
The suspect was allegedly preparing to provide real-time coordinates that could have enabled a Russian missile strike against a brigade headquarters and its commander. Authorities also say he disclosed information about military deployments, drone operations, and ammunition storage. The case highlights a security threat involving recruitment through dating channels on Telegram and subsequent contact through anonymous messaging.
What happened
The Security Service of Ukraine, the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence, and the relevant prosecutor's office detained a mobilized soldier in Mykolaiv on suspicion of state treason and preparing an attack for Russia's FSB. Investigators allege that the soldier, who served as a driver in an Air Assault Forces brigade, used his position to gather information about the brigade command's whereabouts and to identify military deployments, ammunition storage, and drone launch and storage sites.
According to investigators, Russian intelligence recruited the soldier after he began looking for romantic relationships in Telegram dating channels. He then communicated with an FSB officer through an anonymous messenger chat. The alleged objective was to provide the FSB with real-time coordinates of the brigade headquarters, allowing Russian forces to launch a missile strike against the commander and headquarters.
The suspect was detained at a military unit while preparing to send the coordinates to his FSB handler. Investigators seized his smartphone, which contained messages about the preparation of the commander’s elimination. Ukrainian authorities said they had already secured the intended locations, preventing Russia from obtaining the information needed for the attack. The suspect was notified of suspicion of state treason under Part 2 of Article 111 of Ukraine's Criminal Code and placed in custody without the possibility of bail.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian reporting emphasizes the security-service operation, the alleged assistance to the FSB, the threatened missile strike, and the protection of Ukrainian personnel. It also details the recruitment method, the information allegedly disclosed, and the evidence recovered from the suspect's phone.
Where reporting differs
One report dates the detention to 12 November 2020, while the other confirmed accounts state only 12 November without specifying a year.
Background
The suspect served as a driver in a brigade of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces. Law-enforcement authorities reported that he supplied information about troop deployments, ammunition storage, and drone positions, including locations in Dnipropetrovshchyna and on the Donbas front. The operation was conducted by the Security Service of Ukraine and the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence, with procedural oversight by the Mykolaiv Specialized Prosecutor's Office.