Key Points and Summary – Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has arrested a high-ranking Air Force major accused of spying for Russia’s GRU military intelligence.
-The officer, a flight instructor, allegedly leaked critical data on the locations and schedules of Western-supplied F-16 and Mirage 2000 jets.
-He is also suspected of providing Russia with personal data on Ukrainian pilots and advising them on how to bypass air defenses to improve missile and drone attacks on airbases.
-Apprehended while gathering more information, the major now faces a charge of high treason and a potential life sentence, highlighting an escalating intelligence war.
Ukraine Has a New Fighter Jet Problem
On July 30, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) arrested an Air Force (PSU) officer accused of spying for Russia.
The officer in question, who has only been identified by the rank of major, is suspected of leaking the locations and flight schedules of Western-supplied fighter jets—as well as some of Ukraine’s Russian-made platforms.
Authorities announced the arrest following a counterintelligence operation led by the SBU’s military branch with support from the Commander-in-Chief of the PSU. The accused PSU major served in one of the country’s air brigades tasked with intercepting Russian missiles and drones and providing close air support to ground forces. He also reportedly had acted as a flight instructor.
What We Know So Far…
According to the SBU, the officer had been secretly passing critical military information to Russian handlers while continuing to carry out operational duties within the Ukrainian Air Force.
He is accused of allegedly working as a covert agent for Russia’s GRU military intelligence directorate, the SBU said on Wednesday. According to the investigation, the pilot passed intelligence to the GRU on multiple targets and missions.
Among other activities, he is suspected of helping coordinate missile and drone attacks against key Ukrainian air bases used to support the operations of these aircraft.
In 5 Words: A Big Problem For Ukraine?
The Ukrainian officer was supposedly also gathering data on the locations and flight schedules of PSU combat aircraft. This intelligence included operational information on the US-made F-16s and the French-produced Dassault Mirage 2000s. More ominously, he is charged with having advised Russian forces on how to bypass Ukrainian air defenses, the SBU said in a Telegram post.
According to the investigation, the pilot passed intelligence to Russia’s GRU on multiple targets and missions.
“First, he provided data to [assist Russian to] prepare missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian Air Force facilities,” the SSU said. “Among the top targets were airfields used by F-16, Mirage 2000, and Su-24 aircraft.”
Investigators say the officer collected coordinates of aircraft positions, flight schedules, and deployment patterns. He also allegedly prepared an analytical report for Russian forces, outlining suggested tactics for conducting combined strikes to increase the effectiveness of future attacks on airbases.
“Second, the agent passed on the personal data of Ukrainian pilots, tail numbers of aircraft, onboard weapons, and operational tactics,” the SSU added.
For operational security, the accused reportedly used anonymous email channels and encrypted messaging apps to communicate with Russian intelligence.
When he was detained, the officer was reported to have been attempting to gather a “new portion” of sensitive information. He is now expected to be formally charged with high treason. If convicted, he faces life imprisonment and the confiscation of his assets.
More Spying, But from China?
The arrest of this officer follows the detention earlier this month of two Chinese nationals who are suspected of spying on Ukraine’s Neptune anti-ship missile program.
This missile is one of the most notable achievements of Ukraine’s domestic defense industry. The Neptune is perhaps most known for being the missile that sank the guided missile cruiser Moskva, the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, in April 2022.
About the Author: Reuben F. Johnson
Reuben F. Johnson has thirty-six years of experience analyzing and reporting on foreign weapons systems, defense technologies, and international arms export policy. Johnson is the Director of Research at the Casimir Pulaski Foundation. He is also a survivor of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. He worked for years in the American defense industry as a foreign technology analyst and later as a consultant for the U.S. Department of Defense, the Departments of the Navy and Air Force, and the governments of the United Kingdom and Australia. In 2022-2023, he won two awards in a row for his defense reporting. He holds a bachelor’s degree from DePauw University and a master’s degree from Miami University in Ohio, specializing in Soviet and Russian studies. He lives in Warsaw.
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