“Criminal cases about high treason and espionage opened”: FSB detained a Ukrainian intelligence group in Crimea

Employees of the Federal Security Service of Russia detained in Crimea suspected of espionage in favor of military intelligence of Ukraine. This was reported by the FSB Public Relations Center.

“The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Republic of Crimea prevented the activities of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine aimed at organizing and committing acts of sabotage and terror, stealing information containing state secrets and recruiting Russian citizens,” the statement said.

It is noted that the organization of intelligence operations involved the head of Ukrainian military intelligence, stationed in the city of Kherson, Colonel Oleg Akhmedov, born in 1975. Russian counterintelligence managed to suppress the activities of an agent group, which he recruited and oversaw.

Its structure, in particular, included a serviceman of the Armed Forces of Russia, suspected of issuing information of state secret to the military intelligence representatives of Ukraine in 2017-2018, and a Ukrainian citizen suspected of carrying out espionage activities on behalf of the Ukrainian intelligence service.

“Concerning the defendants, the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia has opened criminal cases of high treason and espionage. Guided by the principle of humanism, taking into account the presence of minor children of the accused at the request of the investigation, the court chose a preventive measure in the form of house arrest. A citizen of Ukraine has been taken into custody, ”the Russian intelligence service explained.

The FSB explained that operational-search measures and investigative actions are ongoing.

All three detainees face imprisonment of up to 20 years.

At the same time, it is specified that information about the intelligence group of the Ukrainian military intelligence was obtained during the investigation of another criminal case, the initiation of which was reported in January 2020. His person involved is a Russian citizen who equipped caches with ammunition and explosives on the territory of the Crimean Peninsula, precisely on the instructions of Colonel Akhmedov.

“Ukrainian military intelligence planned to carry out a number of sabotage and terrorist acts at critical social and military infrastructure in our country,” the statement said.

Recall that on January 24, FSB officers in Crimea detained a local resident who equipped caches in Simferopol in which electric detonators, fuses, fuses and explosive explosives with a total mass of more than five kilograms were found. Criminal proceedings were instituted against the detainee under the articles “Illegal acquisition, storage, transportation of explosives and ammunition committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy” (part 2 of article 222, part 2 of article 222.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

Detainment of criminals in Crimea

In addition, in February on the Crimean peninsula a local resident was detained who was suspected of participating in the battalion named after him. Noman Chelebijikhan.

According to the investigation, in August 2016 a man went to the territory of Ukraine and joined the ranks of the volunteer battalion led by Lenur Islyamov. After that, he returned to the peninsula. A criminal case has been opened against the detainee on suspicion of participating in the activities of “an illegal armed group operating in the territory of a foreign state for purposes contrary to the interests of Russia”.

At the same time, the preparation of terrorist attacks in two educational institutions by two minors, born in 2003 and 2004, who are supporters of extremist ideology, was stopped in the city of Kerch. A criminal case was opened under Art. 30 and 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Preparation for a crime” and “Terrorist act”).

“Homemade explosive devices with explosive elements, components purchased for the manufacture of explosives, purchased through the Internet, were seized from detainees' addresses. Tests of “test” explosive devices were carried out on pets, ”the FSB said in a statement.

It was also noted that they were followers of Vladislav Roslyakov, who in October 2018 attacked the Polytechnic College in Kerch. As a result of this attack, 20 people died, another 67 were injured. The attacker himself committed suicide.