SBU says it thwarted Russian missile strike plot targeting F-16s

The agency says its counterintelligence captured Russian agents gathering coordinates of Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet locations for potential missile strikes on airbases.
An F-16 fighter jet of the Ukrainian Air Force. August 2024. Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine, via Militarnyi
SBU says it thwarted Russian missile strike plot targeting F-16s

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) counterintelligence has detained Russian FSB agents who were preparing missile strikes on airfields housing Ukrainian F-16 fighters, the agency’s press service says.

Amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, Russia’s espionage and sabotage activities are on the rise in Ukraine, with the SBU regularly reporting arrests of suspected spies and saboteurs. For Russia, Western-made fighters in Ukrainian service are a priority targets both for propaganda purposes and due to the aircraft’s importance in Ukraine’s air defenses. So far, none of the Ukrainian F-16 have been confirmed destroyed by Russian attacks, despite frequent drone and missile strikes on airfields.

Military counterintelligence кузщкеувдн neutralized an FSB agent group that was hunting Ukrainian fighters and combat helicopters. Two individuals were  allegedly caught red-handed while photographing an F-16 takeoff near one of Ukraine’s military airfields. SBU says the arrested FSB agents were identified as two Kremenchuk residents aged 21 and 22.

sbu says thwarted russian missile strike plot targeting f-16s one suspects aa7b90ab-d5e0-4850-8c66-5751d6a501a5 ukraine's security service (sbu) counterintelligence has detained fsb agents were preparing strikes airfields housing ukrainian f-16 fighters agency's
One of the suspects. Photo: SBU

The suspects’ mission involved collecting precise coordinates of main and reserve airfields and aviation infrastructure facilities for future missile strikes, according to the SBU. Beyond seeking geolocations, they reportedly installed surveillance cameras to monitor Ukrainian aviation activity. Their FSB handler demanded written reports with photographs documenting equipment types at each facility.

The young men planned to travel by bus through five Ukrainian regions, intending to rent accommodation near potential targets for multi-day surveillance operations, as per the SBU report.

SBU officers exposed both alleged agents at the initial stage of reconnaissance activity, documented their unsuccessful visits to several regions, and arrested them while photographing F-16 fighters, the report states.

SBU investigators charged the suspects under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 2 of Article 111 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code for treason committed by a group with prior conspiracy under martial law. They remain in custody without bail and face life imprisonment with property confiscation.

Related:

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this.  We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!

To suggest a correction or clarification, write to us here

You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter

Please leave your suggestions or corrections here



    Euromaidan Press

    We are an independent media outlet that relies solely on advertising revenue to sustain itself. We do not endorse or promote any products or services for financial gain. Therefore, we kindly ask for your support by disabling your ad blocker. Your assistance helps us continue providing quality content. Thank you!

    Related Posts