Ukrainian drone operator detained for allegedly aiding Russians in Chasiv Yar

Ukrainian authorities have arrested a 22-year-old soldier on suspicion of state treason for allegedly providing Russian forces with the locations of his own unit during the battle for Chasiv Yar in Donetsk Oblast. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Office of the Prosecutor General announced the detention on 15 October.

Amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, Russian espionage and sabotage activities in Ukraine remain significant threats, with the SBU regularly dismantling spy networks, often coordinated by the Russian FSB and GRU agencies. The networks often comprise Ukrainian citizens who gather intelligence on defense positions and critical infrastructure in exchange for promised financial rewards.

According to investigators, the suspect, a drone operator in a combat brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine defending the Kramatorsk direction, was remotely recruited by Dmitry Sorokoletov, an officer of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), in 2023. The SBU claims that the soldier leaked the positions of his UAV unit, which was responsible for coordinating fire against Russian forces attacking Chasiv Yar.

The authorities state that the Russian invaders intended to use this information to strike Ukrainian drone operator positions that were hindering their advance on the city. The suspect also allegedly attempted to provide the FSB with coordinates of other Ukrainian Armed Forces units in the Chasiv Yar area.

Law enforcement officials report that the man came to the attention of the occupiers through his pro-Kremlin comments in Russian Telegram channels, where he expressed support for Russia’s war against Ukraine. During a search of the detained soldier, mobile phones reportedly containing evidence of his work for the enemy were seized.

The suspect has been formally charged with state treason and is currently in custody. If convicted, he faces the possibility of life imprisonment.

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