FSB detains Ukrainian citizen in southern Russia on espionage charges

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has detained a Ukrainian citizen in the Rostov region on suspicion of espionage, accusing him of transmitting information about the locations of Russian military units to Ukraine’s Security Service.

According to a statement from the regional FSB office, a court has ordered the suspect’s arrest, and a criminal case has been opened under Russia’s espionage laws, Caliber.Az reports per Russian media. 

Investigators allege that the man gathered intelligence on the locations of military checkpoints, equipment parking sites, and Russian army personnel while posing as a blogger. The FSB said the information was allegedly passed to an officer of Ukrainian special services via the Telegram messaging application.

The suspect’s electronic devices and communication equipment were seized during the operation, the FSB added. Authorities said the man is a resident of Melitopol, a city in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region.

By Sabina Mammadli