Russian special services are actively searching for the relatives of Ukrainian prisoners of war, using them to collect intelligence information and conduct information-psychological operations. Psychologist Olena Sek warned about this during a meeting on the treatment of captives.
“Russian contacts are probing for information about units, weaponry, and problems at the front. By gathering a large amount of information, one can draw military conclusions,” she explained.
Relatives of the captives are pressured to cooperate in exchange for promises of improved conditions for the captives or information about their whereabouts. However, such cooperation may have unpleasant consequences, as shown by the example of passing fake information about the son of a prisoner of war.
Manipulations and psychological pressure from the FSB
In turn, the FSB uses the relatives of prisoners of war to conduct information-psychological operations, forcing them to broadcast Russian narratives. Coordination Headquarters representative Petro Yatsenko emphasizes that such relatives become “free prey” for Russian special services.
“Relatives who become one-time agents are not paid as they work with the aim of returning their loved ones,” he explained.
Law enforcement officials noted cases of passing confidential information and are trying to bring those responsible to justice, as such actions are dangerous and can have serious consequences. Leakage of data with restricted access carries a penalty of up to six years in prison.
Ukrainian prisoners of war experience psychological pressure through relatives who are used by Russian special services to gather information and spread misinformation about the defense forces. There have been reports of cases of passing confidential information, leading to serious consequences for Ukrainian soldiers and their families.