FSB Deters Espionage in Russia as Ukrainian-Linked Spying Network Is Crushed

Employees of the Federal Security Service of Russia disrupted the actions of a resident from the Primorsky Territory who was conducting espionage on behalf of Ukraine and was subsequently arrested. A representative from the regional department of the FSB confirmed the incident to reporters from RIA Novosti. The FSB stated that the individual, following instructions from the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, collected and transmitted data about military infrastructure facilities within the Russian Far East. The detainee later acknowledged that the contact on the other end of the line was aware of the potential use of such information against Russia’s security, including through planned attacks. A criminal case was opened under Article 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation for treason, and the suspect was placed into custody during the investigation. In a separate development, last week the Supreme Court of Crimea sentenced a 62-year-old Ukrainian citizen, Sergei Tsygipu, to thirteen years in prison for espionage. Earlier reports noted that a Belarusian individual accused of spying for Russia was detained in Poland.