SBU exposes network of 13 Russian agents in Mykolaiv region

The SBU announced this on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.

The culprits gathered intelligence about the locations of bases and movements of Ukrainian forces in the southern region. They also directed Russian air attacks on residential and social infrastructure in the regional center.

It was under their guidance that the Russian invaders hit an apartment building in Mykolaiv with an S-300 anti-aircraft missile system in the fall of 2022. At that time, seven civilians, including a minor child, were killed by enemy shelling.

It was established that Russian informers passed the coordinates of Ukrainian sites to Russia's FSB Federal Security Service through a "communicator." He turned out to be pro-Kremlin blogger Sergei Lebedev (better known under the pseudonym "Lokhmaty").

According to available data, he works for the Russian special service as a "freelance correspondent" of the Moscow news agency RIA-Novosti and is hiding in temporarily occupied Donetsk.

In June of this year, the SBU exposed him for intelligence and subversive activities against Ukraine and reported suspicion of treason and violation of the laws and customs of war.

During the investigation into Lokhmaty's criminal activities, it was established that on the instructions of the FSB, he remotely created his own agency in the Mykolaiv region.

It included 13 local subscribers of his Telegram channel. It was through this social media platform that the culprit recruited his agents and then received intelligence from them.

The SBU identified all members of "Lokhmaty's" Russian agent network and detained them at various locations.

Based on collected evidence, SBU investigators notified the nine detainees of suspicion under Art. 114-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (unauthorized dissemination of information about the sending and transfer of weapons, armaments and military supplies to Ukraine, the movement, transfer or location of the Ukrainian Armed Forces). The accused are currently in custody. Investigations are ongoing.

The court found four more members of the enemy agent network guilty of the crimes committed and sentenced them to 8 to 15 years in prison.

Lebedev himself was additionally charged under Part 2 of Art. 28 and Part 2 of Art. 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (treason committed as part of an organized group under martial law).

Since the suspect is hiding from justice in the temporarily occupied part of eastern Ukraine, comprehensive measures are being taken to bring him to justice.

Photo credit: SBU