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As the war enters its fifth year, Ukraine faces a growing internal espionage threat, with Russia’s FSB recruiting citizens. Over 3,800 treason cases have been opened since 2022. Many recruits are lured via Telegram with small payments, while others are coerced or blackmailed.
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, and as the conflict heads into its fifth year, the battle is not just limited to front lines. Ukrainian intelligence officials are now warning of a growing espionage campaign, with Russia's intelligence agency recruiting Ukrainians to gather sensitive information.
According to a CNN report, Russia’s main intelligence agency, the Federal Security Service (FSB), has recruited several Ukrainians, who, in the past, have shared information about the locations of the Ukrainian military personnel and equipment in Pokrovsk, which is considered to be a strategic hub.
How Ukrainians are helping Russia quietly
In July 2024, Hrystyna Garkavenko was 19 when she walked into her father’s church, went upstairs to a second-floor room, and positioned her mobile phone to livestream activity along a nearby road frequently used by military personnel and vehicles heading to and from the eastern front. The footage was shared directly with Russian intelligence. The report suggests that throughout the year, she communicated with an FSB agent, and passed on information related to the personnel and equipment.
Garkavenko, who is now serving a 15-year sentence for treason, spoke to CNN and said, "I just wanted to talk to this person more. And just because I wanted to talk to him, I agreed to help him."
Treason cases surge in Ukraine
Garkavenko is just one of the thousands who have been hired to spy on their country by the FSB and other Russian intelligence agencies. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has reportedly opened investigations into more than 3,800 treason cases since Russia began its full-scale invasion in 2022. Around 1,200 individuals have so far been convicted and handed prison sentences. According to the report, on an average, those convicted face 12 to 13 years in prison; however, some are sentenced for life.
Ivan Kisilevych, who heads a department at the Office of the Prosecutor General, said that passing information to Russian intelligence agencies has become the most frequent form of treason during the war.
In a statement, the SBU said that the range of tasks carried out by these individuals is very wide, adding that geography, in terms of proximity to the fighting, does not matter. It further said, “In frontline areas, we more often detain agents who collect and pass information about the movements or positions of the Ukrainian army. In western and central Ukraine, Russian agents more often gather and leak information about military facilities, critical infrastructure, and attempt sabotage near thermal power plants, police buildings, and railway lines.”
Why do Ukrainians help Russia?
The report suggests that while some of these individuals are ideologically motivated, money continues to be the primary motivation for most. According to the SBU, the Russian intelligence agencies primarily focus on recruiting individuals who are desperate for money such as the unemployed or those dealing with addictions to drugs, alcohol, or gambling.
"For most, it is a few hundred dollars or other material benefits… It is easy money for traitors. They simply receive money on their cards, not thinking where or from whom it comes," Kisilevych said.
How does Russia recruit Ukrainians?
According to an SBU counterintelligence officer, Telegram serves as the primary channel to recruit these individuals. First, the intelligence agency operatives post ads that offer quick and easy money, such as buying a coffee, taking a photograph of a receipt in a cafe, following which, the funds are transferred to a bank card, and thus begins the recruitment process.
The official said that over time, recruits are assigned more serious missions, such as placing cameras near railway lines or taking photos of military sites. He added that if someone later tries to back out, they may face threats or blackmail to force their continued cooperation.
While the world sees a single conflict, Kyiv is fighting dual battles. Whether there will be an end to Kyiv's dual battle is yet to be seen.
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