Ukraine's Security Service detains 18-year-old informer who reported back to Russians following attack on Kyiv on 24 May
The counterintelligence unit of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has caught a Russian asset who was reporting back to his handler on the consequences of Russia's large-scale attack on Kyiv on the night of 23-24 May. The attack injured 91 people and killed two.
Source: SSU; Ruslan Kravchenko, Prosecutor General of Ukraine
Details: The SSU said the suspect was detained the day after the attack on the capital as he was conducting further reconnaissance near a Ministry of Defence facility and gathering information on the consequences of the Russian strikes.
Quote from the SSU: "The investigation established that the enemy assignment was carried out by an 18-year-old resident of Kyiv who came to the attention of Russian secret services while he was looking for 'easy money' on Telegram channels.
After being recruited, the asset travelled to the outskirts of the capital, where he marked transport routes being used to move Ukrainian military equipment on Google Maps.
This was a test assignment, after which he was instructed to document the consequences of the combined attack on Kyiv and 'report back' to the Russians."
Details: Kravchenko said the suspect is an 18-year-old man who was born in Cherkasy Oblast.
A phone containing intelligence reports he had prepared with detailed descriptions of the consequences of the attack was seized from him at the scene.
"Well, don't be disappointed if anything went wrong... I'll pay you regardless of whether there was something there or not," the suspect's handler had messaged.
After damage to a neighbouring building had been identified, he added: "Film that as well. But the building first. Maybe they got it wrong."
The 18-year-old suspect has been served with a notice of suspicion with respect to treason committed under martial law. The court ordered him to be remanded in custody without bail.
The operation was carried out through coordinated efforts involving the Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office, the SSU and Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.
Background:
- On the night of 23-24 May, Russian forces carried out a large-scale combined strike on Ukraine using 90 missiles and 600 drones of various types, including an Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile.
- Across Ukraine, 4 people were killed and around 100 injured, with approximately 30 residential buildings damaged or destroyed in Kyiv alone.
- As of 25 May, two people are reported to have been killed and 91 injured, including 3 children, in the large-scale Russian attack.
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