Traitor Exposed Within the SBU
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has uncovered a major within its own ranks who was passing sensitive information to Russian intelligence. The officer, who had access to classified internal systems, collected and transmitted restricted data about Ukrainian operatives and counterintelligence plans to the enemy. This breach was detected by the SBU's internal security unit.
The compromised information included:
- Names of SBU personnel involved in investigative and counterintelligence operations;
- Details about targets of ongoing or planned operations.
The data was leaked between October 2025 and April 2026. To communicate with the FSB, the major enlisted the help of her father, who resides in a temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine.
Authorities apprehended the suspect after establishing the full scope of her activities. A search of her belongings yielded a smartphone containing evidence of her collaboration with the FSB. As the SBU stated,
“After establishing all the circumstances of the suspect's intelligence and subversive activities, she was detained. During the search, a smartphone with evidence of her work for the FSB was confiscated.”
The data obtained by Russia could have been used to conduct intelligence and sabotage operations against Ukraine, as well as to attempt to neutralize the SBU's counterintelligence capabilities.
Legal Proceedings and Broader Implications
SBU investigators are preparing to charge the major under Article 111, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (high treason committed during a state of martial law). If convicted, she faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.
In a related development, the SBU's military counterintelligence, together with the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR), exposed another Russian agent within Ukraine's Defense Forces. This individual, a recruited inspector from the State Border Guard Service, was adjusting artillery strikes on northern regions of Ukraine. Additionally, the SBU prevented a contract killing in Odesa by arresting an FSB agent who was planning to assassinate a commander of a Special Operations Forces unit.
This case underscores the severe threats to Ukraine's national security, as high-level betrayal within state structures can have devastating consequences for the operational effectiveness of the SBU and other law enforcement agencies. Detecting and apprehending such individuals is a critical step in countering Russian aggression and the information warfare waged by the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
The recent arrest highlights a troubling trend in espionage activities against Ukraine. In a similar case, a Russian agent was apprehended in Zhytomyr while plotting to bomb a military facility, underscoring the ongoing threats faced by Ukrainian security forces. These incidents reveal the critical need for vigilance within the SBU and broader counterintelligence measures to protect national security.