Ukraine’s security service (SBU) has detained a Russian agent who had earlier commanded a special operations center of the Ukrainian Army but. He gathered intelligence to help Russia seize the seaside city of Ochakiv (Mykolaiv Oblast), which lies 30 km from positions Russia occupies on the east bank of the Dnipro river.
As the man worked in the Ochakiv city council, he was tasked by the Russian military intelligence to persuade the Ochakiv city authorities to cooperate with the occupiers. For this, the mayor was offered to “choose a position” in the event of the seizure of the region, but he reported the offer to the SBU, instead.
The agent was in constant contact with a Russian intelligence officer, Sergey Kolesnikov, a native of Ukraine. On his instructions, the official covertly collected information about the locations and movements of the Defense Forces. To do this, he tried to use his connections among former military and officials. The man also formed his own network of informants.
His home was searched, and a phone he used to correspond with the occupiers, thermal imagers, and unregistered weapons with ammunition were found. The agent was served a notice of suspicion of treason, and the court has already arrested him.
The Ukrainian media Babel reported, citing its sources in law enforcement, that the man’s name is Eduard Shevchenko and that he formerly commanded the 73d marine center of special operations. He is a veteran of the war in Donbas and was decorated with several awards, including the Order of Courage. He was diagnosed with PTSD in 2017 and thus was transferred from the 73d center, but was able to get restored at military service in the Ukrainian Navy after a court appeal.
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