Russian man faces charges over selling data to Kiev
A Russian man is facing treason charges for allegedly selling sensitive information about the nation's military to Ukrainian intelligence, according to the Federal Security Service (FSB).
The suspect, whose name remains undisclosed, contacted the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) last year, offering cooperation as a surveillance operative, the FSB stated on Tuesday.
Since then, he has reportedly provided the SBU with intelligence concerning several locations near Voronezh, including a military base and ammunition depots on the outskirts of the central Russian city. In a video shared by the Russian agency, he also admitted to monitoring military aircraft take-offs and landings for Ukrainian agents.
Currently in custody, the accused faces severe penalties, potentially life imprisonment, if convicted, the FSB said.
The SBU plays a crucial role in the Ukraine conflict, including conducting sabotage operations and targeted assassinations on Russian territory.
Last week, the FSB reported stopping a Ukrainian plot to murder a Russian bishop. Metropolitan Tikhon leads the Simferopol and Crimean diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, which makes him a target both as a senior figure in an organization that Kiev views as hostile and as a spiritual leader in the Russian peninsula that Ukraine claims under its sovereignty.
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