Alleged Russian spies detained in Kharkiv,- Ukraine’s security service

Source: the SBU 

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) said on Tuesday it had detained a married couple in Kharkiv who had been recruited for espionage by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB). The couple allegedly gathered intelligence to assist Russia in targeting missile strikes on Ukrainian defense positions and ammunition depots in the Kharkiv and Sumy regions.

According to the SBU statement, the couple operated covertly: a nurse from Sumy worked in a Kharkiv hospital, where she fished for information about the Ukrainian army, while her husband, a former police officer, travelled to  snoop around the Ukrainian border areas to track troop movements and logistics. They later used messenger apps to pass the gathered information to their Russian handler.

The couple first attracted SBU scrutiny due to the wife’s active social media, where she expressed pro-Russian sentiments.

During a raid on their apartment, SBU agents confiscated several mobile phones and SIM cards as evidence. The couple now face charges of treason and espionage, carrying potential penalties ranging from 8 years to life imprisonment.