20 September 2023 , 21:02
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Ukraine’s intelligence officers have smashed a sleeper cell of Russian spies.
The SBU seized a four-strong deep-cover team activated to snoop on Kyiv’s troop movements and weapons deliveries. The Ukrainian leader of the cell and his wife were working at a defence establishment in the Mykolaiv region, close to the Black Sea. Along with two others, they were feeding intelligence to Vladimir Putin’s GRU spooks.
The team was rumbled when messages asking them for updates were intercepted. The SBU said: "The perpetrators collected intelligence on the number and types of military equipment of the Defence Forces arriving in the region, in particular for repair and maintenance.
“The leader of the enemy group turned out to be an employee of a local defense enterprise, who was recruited by Russian intelligence during his studies at the military institute of the former Soviet Union.” The agency believes the man created his own agent network, then spent years in “standby mode” until he was “uncanned” when Russia invaded.
Aftermath of a drone strike on Ukraine earlier this month (AFP via Getty Images)The Ukrainian ringleader was working at a defence establishment in Mykolaiv region, close to the Black Sea in the south when he was arrested by security officials. The SBU added: “The attackers acted in two main directions of reconnaissance and subversive activity. In the first, a couple of Russian agents were involved, who collected information about the available samples and the technical condition of Ukrainian weapons at the defense enterprise.
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“Two more enemy agents monitored the bases and movement routes of the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which are involved in the defense of the region or counteroffensive operations on the southern front.” The Mirror understands the SBU operation successfully arrested all four agents before they could transmit their latest intelligence bulletin. All four spies are in custody and face life in prison.