Ukraine detains Russian “mole” in special forces, security service says

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo of Ukrainian SBU security service agents via Grey Dynamics

KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine's SBU security service said on Friday it had detained a special operations forces unit commander accused of disclosing plans of operations behind enemy lines to Russia's GRU military intelligence.

"The aggressor was most interested in intelligence on sabotage and reconnaissance raids by Ukrainian special forces behind the front line in the Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and Crimean directions," SBU said via the Telegram messaging app.

The "mole", whose rank corresponded to lieutenant colonel, had access to information on planned routes, weapons and targets, according to the statement.

Russian forces planned to use the intelligence to eliminate special forces soldiers on the front line and in the Russian-occupied parts of southern Ukraine.

SBU said Russia's military intelligence "activated" the unit commander in the spring of this year but that he was recruited before Moscow's full-scale invasion in February 2022 through his acquaintances in Russia.

The security service said that Ukraine's top military leadership aided with the case and the suspect could face life in prison on treason charges.

(Reporting by Anastasiia Malenko; Editing by Ros Russell)

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