Ukraine

Ukraine’s Security Service Exposes 207 Russian Spies Since Start of Invasion

BY Guy D. McCardle

Ukraine’s SBU has exposed 207 Russian operatives since the invasion, including 52 active servicemen within its own forces.

One of many Russian spies caught in Ukraine’s military. (@ServiceSsu/X)

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) recently released new details on its counterintelligence activities since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

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According to the agency, 207 Russian operatives have been identified and exposed, including 52 who were active servicemen of the Ukrainian Armed Forces at the time of their arrest.

The SBU stated that Ukrainian courts have already sentenced 44 of the identified agents to prison terms ranging from 12 to 15 years. These sentences reflect the seriousness of espionage charges under wartime conditions and highlight the extent of Russia’s infiltration attempts across Ukraine’s security and defense forces.

Conviction of Former Special Operations Commander

One of the most significant cases involved a former commander in Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces.

The officer was detained in the fall of 2024 and later sentenced to 15 years in prison. According to investigators, he had provided Russian intelligence with plans for special operations missions behind enemy lines.

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The SBU reported that, at the time of his arrest, the officer was found to be in possession of encrypted communication devices. These contained evidence of his contacts with a Russian handler identified as a career officer of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Federation, commonly known as the GRU.

The case was described by the SBU as a clear example of how Russian intelligence targeted insiders with access to sensitive information.

Counterintelligence Operations in 2025

The SBU noted that in 2025 alone, its Military Counterintelligence Department dismantled three separate Russian agent networks operating in different regions of the country.

  • Zaporizhzhia: The SBU exposed a network that included both a mobilized Ukrainian serviceman and the rector of a local church under the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP). The individuals involved allegedly directed Russian aerial bomb strikes on the positions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. The network was also accused of recruiting new candidates to expand the cell.
  • Odesa region: Four agents of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) were detained, along with a resident who served as the ringleader of the group. According to the investigation, the group coordinated Russian airstrikes against warehouses storing weapons and ammunition of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. They were also accused of scouting the locations of Ukrainian air defense units in order to enable missile strikes that could bypass protective systems.
  • Lviv region: Counterintelligence officers detained a 38-year-old woman suspected of preparing coordinates for Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian airfields housing combat helicopters. Authorities said she was recruited through the Telegram messaging platform. The SBU reported that she attempted to plant a hidden camera to record aircraft movements before being detained. If convicted, she could face up to eight years in prison.

The agency stated that these operations illustrate the continued efforts of Russian intelligence to penetrate Ukraine’s defenses, using a range of recruitment methods and relying on local collaborators.

Prevention of Financial and Criminal Offenses

Beyond counterintelligence operations, the SBU reported that it has prevented large-scale financial crimes within the defense sector.

Since the start of the invasion, the agency claims to have blocked the embezzlement of more than 44 billion Ukrainian hryvnias (approximately $1 billion). These funds, according to the SBU, were intended for defense procurement and related activities.

The SBU also reported taking action against other forms of criminal activity that threaten the war effort. The agency has blocked 114 schemes designed to help individuals evade mobilization and military service.

In addition, it has intercepted 222 cases of illegal arms trafficking, preventing weapons from being diverted from combat zones to the black market or other unauthorized channels.

Combat Role of the SBU

While the SBU is primarily a counterintelligence and law enforcement agency, it has also taken on a combat role since the start of the invasion.

The agency reported that its units have directly participated in operations resulting in the destruction of significant Russian military equipment. Since 2022, SBU actions have reportedly led to the elimination of:

  • 219 Russian tanks
  • 358 armored combat vehicles
  • 318 artillery systems
  • 73 electronic warfare systems

These figures highlight the dual role the agency has assumed, combining traditional counterintelligence work with direct contributions on the battlefield.

In its report, the SBU emphasized that it continues to take comprehensive measures to identify and neutralize enemy operatives, prevent corruption and theft in the defense sector, and protect the overall security of Ukraine.

“The SBU continues its work to protect Ukraine’s national security and is taking comprehensive measures to bring all those responsible to justice,” the agency said in a statement.

According to the report, the agency’s operations extend beyond Ukraine’s borders as well. SBU counterintelligence units have conducted special operations behind enemy lines and remain actively engaged in hostilities alongside the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

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