Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) said it detained an alleged Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) agent accused of installing concealed cameras near military sites in Kharkiv Oblast to help Russia coordinate attacks on Ukrainian positions.
Bordering Russia, Kharkiv Oblast has remained one of Ukraine's most dangerous regions throughout the full-scale war. Communities across the oblast continue to face regular missile, drone, and guided bomb attacks.
According to the SBU, the suspect, an unemployed resident of Chuhuiv district, was recruited by Russia's FSB to identify operational airfields and Ukrainian artillery positions, including multiple-launch rocket systems, in frontline areas of the eastern region.
Hidden cameras in trees allegedly used to guide strikes
Investigators allege the man searched for military locations on foot and, once identifying potential targets, installed hidden cameras in nearby trees. The devices allegedly provided Russian intelligence with remote, real-time video feeds intended to help adjust missile, guided bomb, and drone strikes.
The SBU said its counterintelligence officers uncovered the operation after documenting the suspect installing what the agency described as "video traps" near sites he believed could be used by Ukraine's Defense Forces. He was detained as he prepared for another reconnaissance mission.
During searches, officers seized four smartphones that the SBU says the suspect regularly rotated to maintain covert communications with his alleged FSB handlers and transmit intelligence.
The suspect has been charged with high treason committed under martial law, an offense punishable by life imprisonment with confiscation of property under Ukrainian law. He remains in custody pending trial.
Kharkiv Oblast remains under constant Russian attack
Kharkiv Oblast, which borders Russia, has been a key battleground since the start of Moscow's full-scale invasion. Although Ukrainian forces repelled Russia's attempt to seize Kharkiv city in 2022 and pushed Russian troops back from much of the region, frontline civilian communities continue to face frequent missile, drone, and guided bomb attacks.
Ukraine's security services have repeatedly reported uncovering alleged Russian spy networks tasked with gathering targeting data on military facilities and critical infrastructure.
The operation was conducted by the SBU's Kharkiv regional office under the procedural supervision of the Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office.
