Unemployed Man from Poltava Adjusted Enemy Strikes on Military Convoys of 'Ukrzaliznytsia' – SBU

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has announced the arrest of an unemployed man from Poltava, who, according to the agency, acted as an agent for the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB). This man was reportedly establishing 'video traps' to direct airstrikes by Russian forces on military convoys of 'Ukrzaliznytsia', which is a crucial component of logistics for Ukraine's Defense Forces.

The arrest took place in Volyn, as reported by the SBU on its Telegram channel on Friday. Specialists noted that the perpetrator was tracking the schedules and routes of freight convoys belonging to 'Ukrzaliznytsia', which Russian forces planned to target with airstrikes. The aim was to disrupt the logistics of the Ukrainian military, which could have led to severe consequences for Ukraine's defense capabilities.

According to the SBU, the man came to the attention of Russian intelligence services while searching for 'easy earnings' in Telegram channels. After being recruited, he traveled on a 'business trip' to the Volyn region, where he settled in a rented apartment near a railway station. He installed a phone camera on the windowsill of his temporary residence, which provided live streaming to the Russian intelligence services.

Thus, the FSB hoped to calculate the time intervals of the arrival of moving trains to deliver targeted strikes. Military counterintelligence officers from the SBU were able to document the espionage activities of the Russian agent, which allowed them to apprehend him at the crime scene. During a search, several smartphones were seized from the perpetrator, which he used to communicate with the FSB and to record the movements of the convoys.

Furthermore, during the investigation, facts of the agent's reconnaissance activities in Poltava region were uncovered, where he tracked the locations of mobile fire groups of the Defense Forces. The Security Service of Ukraine also reported that to maintain secrecy in communication with the FSB, the arrested individual and his handler used pre-agreed code words and icons in an anonymous chat, indicating a high level of organization and preparation for their actions.

SBU investigators have already informed the arrested man of suspicion under part 2 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which provides for liability for treason committed under martial law. Currently, the perpetrator remains in custody, and further investigation into his activities is ongoing.