Cyber specialists of the Security Service of Ukraine exposed a large-scale agent network that was engaged in intelligence and subversive activities on behalf of the special services of the Russian Federation.
This was reported in the SBU press center.
"During a long special operation, SBU operatives established that the agent network was created by the so-called 85 Main Center of the Special Service of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Its members included residents of Kharkiv and Odessa, activists of the so-called "Russian spring". They are now "based" on the territory of the Russian-controlled PMR — Pridnestrovian Moldavskoy Respublika in Tiraspol, — said a message on the department's website.
Thus, the special services of the Russian Federation involved Ukrainian citizens in the creation and administration of a number of Telegram channels: "Legitimny", "Resident", "Cartel", "Spletnitsa", "Black Quarter", "Political schedule", "Nytypical Zaporozhye", "Trempel Kharkov" ", "Odessa brother", "Dnipro live", "Nikolaev live, "Kherson live".
The department found out that the "chief manager" of the agent network is an Odessa resident, one of the organizers of the mass riots during the Odessa "Anti-Maidan". Now he is wanted by law enforcement agencies under several articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
"The applicant personally administers 12 Telegram channels, communicates with customers of materials, reports to the Russian curators about the work done and agrees on the possibility of placing ordered materials. The cost of placing publications ranges from a few hundred in regional ones to 25-30 thousand. hryvnias on all-Ukrainian channels," the message says.
The Security Service of Ukraine identified 50 customers who transferred money for the publication of materials, their involvement in illegal activities against the information security of Ukraine is being verified.
"It was established that the Russian special services allowed network participants to independently organize the monetization mechanism. Transactions were carried out through a network of accomplices who opened accounts in Ukrainian banks to receive "fees" for the publication of commissioned materials. Then the executors converted the money into currency and transferred it to the unrecognized PMR, Moldova or Russia," the SBU said.
Also, SBU officers detained a Ukrainian citizen in Kyiv, one of the key figures in the production. She and another member of the agency network were informed of suspicion of committing a crime under Article 111 (treason) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Absentee suspicion of treason was announced to the head of the network, who is hiding from the investigation abroad.
It is interesting that some of the above-mentioned channels actively criticized the team of the President of Ukraine. In particular, they reported on possible shenanigans during the implementation of the "Big Construction" project and covered tariff protests.
