Security Service of Ukraine exposed an attempt by Russian FSB to plant "bugs" on sidelines of Verkhovna Rada

UKRAINSKA PRAVDA — FRIDAY, 19 AUGUST 2022, 10: 42

Sidelines of the Verkhovna Rada. Photo made by UNIAN

The Security Service of Ukraine has exposed a former employee of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) who was recruited by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) to collect intelligence.

Source: Security Service of Ukraine press service 

Quote: "On the instructions of his Russian handler, the agent was supposed to collect intelligence about the visits of foreign delegations to the Ukrainian parliament, in particular their personal composition, the content of official and informal conversations. 

He was also assigned to study the possibility of installing special technical means of secretly collecting information ("bugs" - ed.) in the halls and on the sidelines." 

Details: According to the special service, the agent was recruited by the FSB during a trip to occupied Crimea before the start of a full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation. He was an employee of the Department of ensuring the management of affairs of the Verkhovna Rada apparatus and had to use his powers to collect intelligence.

However, as noted in the Security Service of Ukraine, the agent did not fulfil a single task of the invaders and quit even before the start of the full-scale invasion. Later, he tried to get a job at a strategically important facility in Zhytomyr Oblast, but was exposed by the Security Service of Ukraine during a special check. The agent voluntarily spoke about cooperation with the Russian FSB.

The investigation continues under Article 111 (high treason) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.  He faces at least 15 years in prison for treason under martial law. The Security Service of Ukraine stressed that a suspect can be released from criminal liability if he did not take any actions to complete the task and voluntarily reported cooperation with the enemy.

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