Ukrainian security services detained a 35-year-old Belarusian woman in Kyiv on suspicion of spying for the Belarusian KGB intelligence agency, according to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and Ukraine's military Intelligence Directorate (HUR). The agencies reported the detention late on 27 January. The suspect allegedly was dispatched to Ukraine in 2020 under journalist cover and attempted to infiltrate a headquarters unit of HUR. Before arresting her, Ukrainian counterintelligence says it ran a months-long operation feeding her disinformation to deceive Minsk.
Suspected deep-cover agent with journalist credentials
The SBU and HUR stated that the suspect had been working for the Belarusian KGB since 2015. In 2020, Minsk allegedly dispatched her to Ukraine for intelligence work under journalistic cover. She first worked as a correspondent for Viktor Medvedchuk's sanctioned 112 Channel in former Soviet countries. After Ukrainian authorities shut down Medvedchuk's media outlets, the Belarusian KGB allegedly sent her to Ukraine with coordination from Belarus's senior military-political leadership, SBU reports.
The suspected Belarusian woman then joined one of Ukraine's leading media organizations, according to investigators. SBU says she used this position and her colleagues' connections to build a network among Ukrainian politicians, military officials, and foreign diplomats. Ukrainian security services say she was already on their radar before Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022.
Medvedchuk is a Ukrainian politician, oligarch, and long-time pro-Kremlin figure who is a personal friend and close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin — Putin is even the godfather to his daughter — and was widely seen as the main conduit for Russian influence in Ukraine before being stripped of Ukrainian citizenship and sent to Russia in a 2022 prisoner exchange.
Alleged handler meeting in EU country
During the full-scale invasion, the suspect's handler allegedly instructed her to travel to an EU country for additional briefing, SBU reports. She reportedly used a fabricated medical appointment as her cover story. For the meeting with her Belarusian intelligence contact, she allegedly purchased a new smartphone with a disposable SIM card and disposed of the device afterward.
During this briefing, the suspect allegedly received orders to collect information about Belarusian and Russian citizens who fight against Russia on the Ukrainian side. SBU says she also received an unusual assignment from the Belarusian KGB: establish informal contacts with officials at the Chinese embassy in Kyiv to gather intelligence on Chinese diplomats' activities in Ukraine.
Attempted infiltration of military intelligence
After returning to Kyiv, the suspect attempted to join a headquarters unit of Ukraine's military intelligence. This move triggered scrutiny from HUR's internal security division. Thanks to timely detection, SBU and HUR officers launched a long-term counterintelligence game against the suspected agent, according to the agencies.
The operation allowed investigators to document her every step while regularly feeding disinformation to Belarusian intelligence through her, SBU says. Investigators redirected enemy intelligence resources toward copying fabricated classified information that circulated in controlled fashion around the suspect. The agencies also documented her alleged attempts to identify potential recruitment candidates for the KGB's agent network.
Detention and charges
After gathering comprehensive evidence, SBU and HUR detained the suspect near her residence in Kyiv. Investigators seized a smartphone and voice recorder she allegedly used to collect classified information. SBU investigators notified her of suspicion under Article 114 of Ukraine's Criminal Code for espionage. She remains in custody and faces up to 15 years in prison with asset confiscation if convicted.
