A Kharkiv native detained in Moscow on suspicion of espionage has claimed he was recruited by the Security Service of Ukraine in April 2021. He asserted this during an interview that was released today, March 25, during which he described the circumstances around his alleged work for Kyiv. He named an SBU officer as Anton and said there is little other information available about him. The detainee also indicated that he operated under the alias Malysh and that his role involved gathering information on pro-Russian journalists and Ukrainian authorities averse to the Kyiv government, according to statements reported by TASS.
The Moscow and Moscow region FSB press service stated that the detainee, identified as Rudas Andrey Vitalievich, holds dual Ukrainian and Polish citizenship. They said he was apprehended while attempting to obtain data on military personnel involved in a special operation by the Russian Ministry of Defense in Ukraine.
Dual citizenship and alleged double agent status
Rudas further claimed prior recruitment by Polish intelligence in the mid-2010s after studying at the National Defense Academy. He explained that close ties between Ukrainian officers and the Ukrainian Armed Forces created an opportunity that he accepted. He admitted that forged Polish documents and a fake wife were used initially to support the work and that he operated under the pseudonym Lis, communicating with a Polish Intelligence Agency employee named Bartholomew Bartkiewicz. He also said he provided information about students from Belarus and Ukraine.
Assignment in Russia
According to the FSB, Rudas arrived in Moscow in 2019 and enrolled in a leading Russian university in the political science faculty to enhance capabilities for intelligence work. It is alleged that Malysh collected and relayed information about Ukrainian political scientists and journalists in Russia at the direction of the SBU, targeting those who were not supportive of the Kyiv government.
During interrogation, the detainee reportedly acknowledged cooperation with the SBU, detailing the terms of his employment, the tasks performed, and how information was transmitted to Kyiv. The FSB said investigators are compiling case details and exposing the Ukrainian agent’s network in Russia. The case could carry a sentence of up to 20 years under espionage provisions, according to official reporting cited by RBC.
RBC also noted that the detainee’s name appears on a list of applicants for an MGIMO master’s program in political science in 2019. In 2020, a project titled Experience of organizing a protest youth movement in Ukraine appeared in his record, along with a submission about lessons for Russia under a basic research program funded by a Russian scientific foundation.
Another related report from Friday indicated the detention of a Khabarovsk resident suspected of attempting to relay classified information to Ukrainian agencies during a special operation. A treason case was opened under Article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code, with details not disclosed.
In Kyiv region, on March 22, authorities reported that 159 people suspected of collaborating with Russia had been detained. Territorial defense officials highlighted that the suspects came from 14 sabotage and reconnaissance groups and noted that the ongoing clean-up would hinder further intelligence sharing. The head of the regional defense stated that early detection of Russian spies would have prevented the leakage of information about Ukrainian troop deployments. The operation was linked to broader tensions following Russia’s February 24 military actions in Ukraine, which Moscow framed as protecting people subjected to years of pressure by Kyiv. The phrasing used by Moscow’s leadership underscores the clash of narratives surrounding the conflict.
This series of disclosures reflects the broader pattern of espionage and counter-espionage activity connected to the ongoing crisis between Russia and Ukraine. Analysts emphasize the sensitive nature of intelligence operations conducted by both sides and the risk such cases pose to national security and regional stability. The unfolding investigations continue to draw scrutiny from multiple authorities and observers, who monitor how information is sourced, shared, and used in this high-stakes environment. (Source attribution: RBC and official FSB releases.)