Inside Ukraine's struggle with pro-Russian spies embedded deep within defence forces

A Ukrainian Air Force officer has been arrested on charges of espionage for Russia this week, accused of passing along the flight paths and locations of military jets. In a separate case, another soldier allegedly sold details of troop positions to settle gambling debts. These incidents mark just the latest in a troubling trend of internal security breaches.

An article by UnHerd examines how Kremlin intelligence operatives have long-established experience in Ukraine, operating through deeply rooted networks. According to Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) chief Vasyl Maliuk, 47 Russian spy networks were uncovered in 2023, followed by 46 more in 2024. These networks reportedly included not only covert agents but also sitting members of parliament and active-duty military personnel aiding Moscow.

Why is Russia so effective in recruiting Ukrainians to work against their own country? Maliuk explained that Moscow had been infiltrating Ukrainian institutions for years prior to the full-scale invasion, laying the groundwork for today’s espionage activities.

Earlier this month, Ukrainian authorities detained a lieutenant-colonel in the armed forces—who simultaneously held a general’s rank in Russia’s FSB—for supplying troop movement data in the Sumy region. In May, security forces exposed a mole in a military production facility, and arrested a soldier in Kharkiv for passing along sensitive information. With its growing physical presence in occupied areas, Russia is now better positioned to identify and recruit collaborators on the ground.

One notorious example is the Crimea-based hacking collective known as Gamaredon, which is thought to be controlled by the FSB and composed of defected Ukrainians, including some who once served in Ukrainian security services. The FSB handler of one arrested soldier was himself a former Ukrainian law enforcement officer who had switched allegiance to Moscow.

The article highlights how these so-called “turncoats”—individuals who betray their country by aligning with an enemy—often bring with them not only classified knowledge but also insider contacts. One case cited involved an Air Force colonel suspected of sharing intelligence who was reportedly recruited by his wife, a collaborator residing in Russian-occupied Melitopol. Leveraging personal ties like these, Russian agents have contacted Ukrainian front-line troops under the guise of familiar conversations, subtly probing for military secrets.

In many cases, Russia targets Ukrainians with vulnerable family situations—those with loved ones in occupied territories or Russian custody—exploiting emotional pressure to extract cooperation. The UnHerd piece argues that the Kremlin has a wide range of tools at its disposal, pulling on different levers to motivate collaborators. While some are coerced or blackmailed, others are driven by financial gain, ideological sympathy, or familial connections. Russian operatives actively monitor social media to spot Ukrainians expressing pro-Kremlin sentiments or those with split loyalties due to family ties in Russia. The intelligence services have also capitalized on Ukraine’s military desertion problem; the largest known spy network was reportedly formed from absconding soldiers.

But espionage, the article warns, is far from harmless cloak-and-dagger intrigue—it is a calculated weapon of war. Hackers have repeatedly disrupted Ukrainian infrastructure as part of Russia’s larger effort to undermine morale. Espionage efforts have focused on acquiring actionable intelligence, including artillery positions, troop deployments, and, more recently, the whereabouts of F-16 fighters and associated air bases, supply depots, and aircraft maintenance centers—like in the case of the newly arrested Air Force officer.

According to an article by RadioFreeEurope (RFE), which reported on the discovery and break-up of the Russian spy network in 2024 mentioned by Maliuk, Moscow's focus on F-16 fighter jets in particular underscores their strategic concerns, as Ukraine's acquisition of these Western-supplied jets represents a potential major impact in the conflict.

"The advanced aircraft bolster Ukraine's air capabilities, posing a significant threat to Russian operations. For Moscow, gaining intelligence on their potential deployment locations is critical to pre-emptively countering their use," the RFE noted.

Ukraine is likely still grappling with the scale of damage caused by known infiltrators—let alone the as-yet-undetected ones. The UnHerd article suggests that battlefield indicators already point to serious consequences. One soldier in Kharkiv is accused of guiding Russian artillery strikes onto his own unit, which was resisting Moscow’s offensive. Russian forces reportedly believed the intel could clear the way for a breakthrough. Meanwhile, in another high-profile arrest last November, a lieutenant-colonel with access to top-secret intelligence was caught handing Moscow detailed plans for sabotage and reconnaissance missions in Kherson, Crimea, and Zaporizhzhia—allowing Russia to pre-emptively thwart Ukrainian special operations.

Still, Maliuk offered some optimism, stating last year that the SBU’s work was “yielding results.” He claimed that enemy agents had been removed “from all spheres of life” and that his agency remains vigilant. Yet, the article concludes, Russia’s deep-rooted networks are far from dismantled. With more disillusioned Ukrainians potentially susceptible to Kremlin influence, Ukraine faces a long and difficult road ahead.

By Nazrin Sadigova