The FSB Center for Public Affairs reported that intelligence officers conducted raids targeting individuals in three regions of the Russian Federation who were suspected of plotting terrorist acts. The description of the operations came from FSB communications cited by RIA Novosti.
Additionally, the FSB claimed that one detainee transmitted confidential data to the Security Service of Ukraine and to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In Perm Territory, an SBU intelligence cell composed of Russian nationals Dmitry Strelkov, Mikhail Sokolov, who is officially registered in Russia as a foreign agent, and Alexei Gashev was identified. Their objective allegedly involved planning, enabling, and executing terrorist attacks and acts of sabotage. The announcements described the exposure of portions of Russia to such activities.
Criminal cases were opened on charges of espionage and treason. Dmitry Strelkov was placed on federal and interstate wanted lists, and Mikhail Sokolov and Alexei Gashev were detained.
FSB reports also identified a so‑called Ukrainian agent in the Rostov region named Vladislav Ponomarev, a citizen of both Russia and Ukraine. He is suspected of relaying information to Kyiv about the location and movement of armored units with the intent to guide HIMARS strikes. He faces treason and espionage charges and was taken into custody.
Valery Kachin, a resident of Birobidzhan (JAO), was detained while attempting to leave Russia. The FSB contends that Kachin and others obtained and shared sensitive data about critical infrastructure in the Jewish Autonomous Region under Ukrainian intelligence direction.
According to the FSB, Kachin planned to depart the Russian Federation to obtain Ukrainian citizenship and join the Ukrainian armed forces. He was subsequently arrested and charged with espionage and treason.
Collective sentences and treason cases
In Sevastopol, a court on December 19 handed down a 12-year sentence in a strict regime colony to a Crimea resident on charges of treason. The FSB said that during 2020 and 2021, Russian citizen Yevgeny Petrushin provided intelligence to the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine concerning activities of the Black Sea Fleet. Petrushin was also ordered to pay a fine of 100,000 rubles, with movement restrictions to follow after release.
On December 15, a court in Khabarovsk found Vyacheslav Mamukov, a resident of Khabarovsk, guilty under Article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code for treason. The FSB stated that Mamukov, having access to state secrets, reached out to Ukrainian security services online offering data in exchange for payment. The material in question concerned transportation infrastructure facilities whose disclosure could threaten national security. The Khabarovsk District Court’s ruling became effective after the Fifth Supreme Court of Appeals affirmed the decision.
These cases illustrate ongoing efforts by Russian authorities to counter alleged external influence and espionage activity across several regions, with multiple individuals facing serious charges and penalties. The reporting notes the outcomes and the alleged mechanics of how information was handled and transmitted, as described by official FSB statements attributed to press releases and legal proceedings. [Source attribution: FSB statements via RIA Novosti]