Sumy husband-wife team accused of revealing Ukrainian defense positions to Russians

The Sumy Regional Prosecutor’s Office reports that a married couple will stand trial for collecting and sharing sensitive military information about Ukrainian positions with Russian intelligence services. According to prosecutors, a local 53-year-old woman and her 59-year-old husband have been charged with high treason during martial law. The woman faces additional charges for spreading pro-Russian propaganda.

Amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, Russia’s espionage and sabotage activities are on the rise in Ukraine, with Ukraine’s Security Service SBU regularly reporting arrests of suspected spies and saboteurs.

Prosecutors state that the woman began cooperating with Russian intelligence through a messenger application in early 2024. She collected and transmitted real-time information about Ukrainian military movements and positions, specifically focusing on electronic warfare and air defense systems in Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts.

The Sumy Regional Prosecutor’s Office reports that the woman provided detailed terrain descriptions, precise locations, and troop numbers to her Russian handler. Following Russian attacks on Kharkiv Oblast, she confirmed strike accuracy to the enemy.

According to investigators, her husband systematically scouted targeted areas and provided most of the intelligence about Ukrainian military positions, which she then transmitted to Russian intelligence.

The prosecutors also note that the woman actively spread anti-government and pro-Russian content on a banned social media platform.

The couple has been in custody without bail since July 2024. The Security Service of Ukraine in Sumy Oblast conducted the pre-trial investigation under the prosecutor’s office supervision.

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