The SBU apprehended a spy in Odesa who recruited a 15-year-old boy for collaboration in air defense activities.

Employees of the Security Service of Ukraine apprehended a 20-year-old resident of Odesa who was tracking Ukrainian checkpoints and air defense systems for the Russians. Additionally, he enlisted the help of a 15-year-old boy. This was reported on Friday, January 24, by the press service of the SBU.

Investigators found that the Russians recruited the 20-year-old Odesa resident through a Telegram channel, where he was looking for a quick way to make money. On behalf of the occupiers, he collected geolocations of Ukrainian checkpoints, mobile fire groups, and air defense missile systems.

Furthermore, to gather more information for the occupiers, the Odesa resident recruited a 15-year-old boy from the city of Voznesensk in Mykolaiv Oblast.

“As the investigation established, the suspects were walking through the territories of both southern regions and discreetly recording the locations of the Defense Forces with their phone cameras. After reconnaissance outings, the senior agent marked the coordinates of potential targets on Google Maps and sent them to his Russian handler via messenger,” the report states.

Employees of the SBU uncovered the Russian agent from Odesa and arrested him while he was attempting to transmit intelligence data to the occupiers. They seized his phone, which he used to communicate with the Russian handler.

The Odesa resident has been charged with treason committed under martial law (Part 2 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Law enforcement is also considering additional charges for involving minors in criminal activities (Article 304 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The suspect is currently in custody, facing life imprisonment and asset confiscation.

The SBU also detained the 15-year-old boy from Mykolaiv Oblast. Procedural actions regarding him are ongoing.